UK Visa Portal data leak exposes 100,000 applicants’ documents; company cites legal counsel
TechCrunch confirms the breach remains active as the operator deflects inquiries to attorneys, urging users to stick to official government channels.
A security lapse on the third-party website UK Visa Portal has exposed the passports and selfie photographs of at least 100,000 applicants. The site, which is not affiliated with the UK government, allowed sensitive documents to be accessed online during the visa application process. TechCrunch confirmed the authenticity of the leaked data by contacting affected individuals. The company has not resolved the issue; instead of management, TechCrunch received responses from the company’s attorneys and public relations firm. The leak remains active, and applicants are advised to use the official GOV.UK website for visa applications.
An anonymous source first alerted TechCrunch to the security lapse, stating that the website was exposing at least 100,000 documents. Some applicants have complained that they mistakenly paid a fee to this company instead of using the official GOV.UK website. TechCrunch verified the authenticity of the exposed data by contacting affected individuals to ask if their information was accurate.
UK Visa Portal does not have a way to report security issues through its website, nor does its website provide names or contact information for the company’s management. TechCrunch sent an email to the address listed on UK Visa Portal’s website to alert the company of the ongoing security lapse. TechCrunch explained that it could not share specifics with the company’s general customer support inbox due to the sensitivity of the data.
TechCrunch heard back from the company’s purported attorneys and public relations firm rather than management. TechCrunch has not heard back from UK Visa Portal’s management. TechCrunch is not publishing precise details in an effort to minimize any further risk to the information.
It is not necessary to use a third-party service to apply for a U.K. electronic travel authorization, unless an applicant is retaining an immigration attorney. Applicants should apply through the U.K. government’s website.
