NFU Mutual denies animal rights hacking claim

NFU Mutual has denied claims that animal rights activists tampered with the personal details of people who supported a West Country badger cull after hacking into its system.

The claims, which were made in an anonymous statement posted on American animal rights website Bite Back, came after a badger cull aimed at stopping the spread of Bovine TB came into force in Somerset and Gloucestershire.

“Since the beginning of May we have exploited vulnerabilities on NFU Mutual systems to allow us to download almost all of their customer files including full financial details, claims and account history,” it stated.

“Our access is so complete that we were able to make subtle modifications to the accounts of several people we know are involved in the badger cull.

“As more people are identified as being part of the badger cull we will exploit the details we have on them. We will show the same mercy to their finances that they show to the lives of badgers.

“We already have plans to use the details we have on some of the more high-profile supporters of the cull.”

A spokesman for NFU Mutual said: “NFU Mutual has very strong systems and controls in place to protect against malicious behaviour of this type and there is no sign of customers’ records being tampered with.”