GCHQ Intern Admits to Breaching National Security by Taking Top Secret Data Home

 

A former GCHQ intern, Hasaan Arshad, has pleaded guilty to committing an unauthorised act that put national security at risk after he took top-secret data home. The 25-year-old from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, admitted the offence under the Computer Misuse Act on what was set to be the first day of his trial at the Old Bailey.

 

 

Arshad's actions took place between August and September 2022. On August 24, he allegedly took his work mobile phone into a top-secret area of GCHQ, where he connected it to a secure workstation. He then transferred sensitive data onto the device before taking it home and copying it onto a hard drive connected to his personal computer. He was arrested on September 22, 2022, and a search of his home followed.

 

 

On Monday, Arshad pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 3ZA of the Computer Misuse Act 1990, which relates to "unauthorised acts causing, or creating risk of, serious damage." The charge stated that he "did an unauthorised act in relation to a computer and at the time of doing the act knew that it was unauthorised; and the act caused, or created a significant risk of a material kind, this being damage to the national security of a country; and he intended by doing the act to cause serious damage of a material kind or was reckless as to whether such damage was caused."

 

 

Arshad’s lawyer, Nina Grahame KC, informed the court that he admitted the offence on the "basis of recklessness." The court also heard that he had previously admitted to two charges related to making an indecent photograph of a child, with images found between September 7 and 23, 2022.

Mrs Justice McGowan has adjourned sentencing for all charges until June 13. She had previously ruled that parts of the case would be heard behind closed doors, excluding the press and public.

 

The Government classifies "top secret" information as the most sensitive data, where compromise could lead to widespread loss of life or threaten national security, the economy, or international relations, according to Ministry of Justice security guidelines. Arshad’s case raises serious concerns about cybersecurity and the safeguarding of the UK’s most sensitive intelligence.

 

Based on a report by Daily Telegraph  2025-04-02

 

 

Why was he allowed to take his mobile phone into GCHQ?  That beggars belief......  (I never worked at GCHQ, but I signed the Official Secrets Act and worked on military equipment design.  We were frisk-searched before and after we entered/exited the area where we worked...

 

Just let it go man, look how many boxes he ticks.

7 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Just let it go man, look how many boxes he ticks.

I see he’s triggered your customary response.

 

 

13 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I see he’s triggered your customary response.

 

 

 

Actually us straight white men got a stay of execution.

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/englands-sentencing-council-suspends-plans-introduce-two-tier-justice-guidelines-2025-03-31/

 

For now...

9 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

Actually us straight white men got a stay of execution.

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/englands-sentencing-council-suspends-plans-introduce-two-tier-justice-guidelines-2025-03-31/

 

For now...

I see it also triggered some completely off topic stuff too.

 

 

45 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Why was he allowed to take his mobile phone into GCHQ?  That beggars belief......  (I never worked at GCHQ, but I signed the Official Secrets Act and worked on military equipment design.  We were frisk-searched before and after we entered/exited the area where we worked...

 

 

It says it was his 'work mobile phone' but your point is a valid one. I can't see any reason why any phone or other personal electronic device would be allowed into a secure environment. It would seem that the access was logged but why did it take a month for action to be taken? That should have been same day, regardless of the classification of the material accessed.

 

This is all much more of a concern than the guy's ethnicity. We need native-level speakers of Urdu, Farsi, Mandarin etc and most of them aren't white British. 

 

 

10 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I see it also triggered some completely off topic stuff too.

 

 

 

The trial and sentencing of a minority in Britain.

 

Hardly off topic Chomps. Although I can see why you'd like to brush it all under the carpet. 

31 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Just let it go man, look how many boxes he ticks.

 

GCHQ made a rod for their own back with an intern recruitment campaign that specifically excluded white British students although, as I commented above, most white British students don't have the language skills that are in high demand. Why not just say "we welcome applications from interested people of all ethnic backgrounds. Those with fluency in middle eastern or asian languages are specifically encouraged to apply etc".

 

However, I suspect that many Gen Z / Y whatever may well think that collecting email and voice traffic is a bad thing and that the intelligence services are oppressive arms of the state etc.

2 minutes ago, BKKBike09 said:

 

GCHQ made a rod for their own back with an intern recruitment campaign that specifically excluded white British students although, as I commented above, most white British students don't have the language skills that are in high demand. Why not just say "we welcome applications from interested people of all ethnic backgrounds. Those with fluency in middle eastern or asian languages are specifically encouraged to apply etc".

 

However, I suspect that many Gen Z / Y whatever may well think that collecting email and voice traffic is a bad thing and that the intelligence services are oppressive arms of the state etc.

 

Yes, it looks like they might be excluding minorities from frisking for mobile devices before entering the building as well. 

 

Ah well, you reap what you sow. 

with conscription looming I am also wondering how many from Ethnic backgrounds will refuse to fight for UK

that will be a true litmus test of integration.
 

So he had indecent photographs of a child, which left him open to possible blackmail, and had stolen sensitive data.

 

A slap on the wrist should teach him a lesson.

41 minutes ago, Serenity_Now said:

with conscription looming I am also wondering how many from Ethnic backgrounds will refuse to fight for UK

that will be a true litmus test of integration.
 

 

I doubt ethnic minorities will be required to fight, Lammy will probably come up with some 2 tier recruitment policy that excludes them from the conscription process.

 

 

6 hours ago, simon43 said:

Why was he allowed to take his mobile phone into GCHQ?  That beggars belief......  (I never worked at GCHQ, but I signed the Official Secrets Act and worked on military equipment design.  We were frisk-searched before and after we entered/exited the area where we worked...

 

I had to google GCHQ and learned: Government Communications Headquarters is an intelligence and security organisation

no wonder they act stupidly

8 hours ago, Social Media said:

 

GCHQ Intern Admits to Breaching National Security by Taking Top Secret Data Home

 

A former GCHQ intern, Hasaan Arshad, has pleaded guilty to committing an unauthorised act that put national security at risk after he took top-secret data home. The 25-year-old from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, admitted the offence under the Computer Misuse Act on what was set to be the first day of his trial at the Old Bailey.

 

https://images.lbc.co.uk/images/713760?crop=16_9&width=660&relax=1&format=webp&signature=mZ3OnRhh38g5NleedenqbIrXm7w=

 

Arshad's actions took place between August and September 2022. On August 24, he allegedly took his work mobile phone into a top-secret area of GCHQ, where he connected it to a secure workstation. He then transferred sensitive data onto the device before taking it home and copying it onto a hard drive connected to his personal computer. He was arrested on September 22, 2022, and a search of his home followed.

 

 

On Monday, Arshad pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 3ZA of the Computer Misuse Act 1990, which relates to "unauthorised acts causing, or creating risk of, serious damage." The charge stated that he "did an unauthorised act in relation to a computer and at the time of doing the act knew that it was unauthorised; and the act caused, or created a significant risk of a material kind, this being damage to the national security of a country; and he intended by doing the act to cause serious damage of a material kind or was reckless as to whether such damage was caused."

 

 

Arshad’s lawyer, Nina Grahame KC, informed the court that he admitted the offence on the "basis of recklessness." The court also heard that he had previously admitted to two charges related to making an indecent photograph of a child, with images found between September 7 and 23, 2022.

Mrs Justice McGowan has adjourned sentencing for all charges until June 13. She had previously ruled that parts of the case would be heard behind closed doors, excluding the press and public.

 

The Government classifies "top secret" information as the most sensitive data, where compromise could lead to widespread loss of life or threaten national security, the economy, or international relations, according to Ministry of Justice security guidelines. Arshad’s case raises serious concerns about cybersecurity and the safeguarding of the UK’s most sensitive intelligence.

 

Based on a report by Daily Telegraph  2025-04-02

 

 

What is his name? ARSH ??? Hmmh

Hasaan Arshad...Sounds like a nice English name if ever I heard one.

7 hours ago, klauskunkel said:

I had to google GCHQ and learned: Government Communications Headquarters is an intelligence and security organisation

no wonder they act stupidly

It would have been against his "human rights" (not to mention hurting his "dignity")...

11 hours ago, merck said:

Hasaan Arshad...Sounds like a nice English name if ever I heard one.

The headline says ARSH. A bit more precise obviously.