**UK Government Hacked in October, Minister Confirms**

In a shocking revelation, British trade department minister Chris Bryant has confirmed that the UK government was hacked in October, sparking concerns over the country's cyber security. The news comes after reports by The Sun newspaper, which attributed the breach to a Chinese hacking group called Storm 1849.

"There certainly has been a hack," Bryant told Times Radio, adding that while he couldn't confirm whether the breach was directly related to Chinese operatives or the Chinese state. "We're continuing to investigate, but at this stage we're fairly confident that there's a low risk any individual would be affected."

The Sun reported that Storm 1849, a China-linked hacking group, breached systems at the Foreign Office and accessed sensitive data, including tens of thousands of visa details. While Bryant described the breach as a "technical issue in one of our sites," he acknowledged that the government was still investigating.

"We managed to close the hole very quickly," he said, adding that the incident was not unique to the Foreign Office. "It's part of a broader trend of cyber attacks on governments and businesses around the world."

The incident has raised concerns over the UK's cyber security, which has been under scrutiny following two major hacking incidents this year. In July, Jaguar Land Rover was forced to shut down production for five weeks due to a hack, while retailer Marks & Spencer suspended online orders for six weeks.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has previously stated that China poses "national security threats" to Britain, but defended his government's decision to step up engagement with the country. He is set to visit Beijing in late January, according to sources.

The Foreign Office refused to provide details on the incident, saying only that it was investigating a cyber incident and taking the security of its systems and data "extremely seriously".

**Background on Storm 1849**

Storm 1849 is a China-linked hacking group accused of targeting politicians and groups critical of the Chinese government. The group has been linked to several high-profile hacking incidents around the world, including a recent attack on the German parliament.

The UK's decision to engage with China despite its cyber security concerns has sparked controversy, with some critics arguing that it puts national security at risk. However, supporters argue that engagement is necessary for economic and diplomatic reasons.