Breach results in temporary closure of exhibitions
Some exhibitions at The British Museum were temporarily closed last week after a terminated IT contractor shuttered some of its systems, according to reports.
"An IT contractor who was dismissed last week trespassed into the museum and shut down several of our systems," the museum said as quoted by the BBC. "Police attended and he was arrested at the scene."
As a result of the incident, some exhibitions of the museum were temporarily shuttered over the weekend.
"Ticket holders have been alerted and refunds offered," it said.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed to the media that it arrested a man in his 50s on Thursday evening at the museum. They said they responded to reports that the man entered the museum and damaged its security and IT systems.
"Police swiftly attended and arrested a man in his 50s at the scene on suspicion of burglary and criminal damage," the police spokesperson told the BBC. "He has been bailed pending further enquiries."
The latest data from the Information Commissioner's Office revealed a total of 3,003 incidents of data security incidents in the UK during the third quarter of 2024, where 23% were cyber incidents.
The British Museum in London, which opened to the public in 1759, is the first national public museum in the world.
"Its eight million objects allow us to explore the extraordinary diversity of human cultures, from small communities to vast empires, to discover the many forms and expressions human beings have given to every aspect of life, and to realise how closely they are interconnected," its website read.
