Oops! OBR’s Budget Blunder: Cybersecurity Expert Called in After URL Guessing Game Exposes Forecast Early
In a colossal blunder, the OBR accidentally leaked its Economic and Fiscal Outlook by uploading it to a public server. Cybersecurity expert Ciaran Martin has been called in to investigate. The key takeaway? Sometimes the biggest cybersecurity threat is simply forgetting how calendars work.
Hot Take:
Looks like the Office for Budget Responsibility took “leaking information” a tad too literally by letting their budget forecast slip through cyberspace 45 minutes early. Who knew the biggest threat to national security was a poorly handled file upload? Guessing URLs never felt so rewarding, or so British.
Key Points:
- The OBR’s November 2025 Economic and Fiscal Outlook was accidentally uploaded ahead of schedule.
- Reporters accessed it by guessing a URL similar to past documents.
- Former NCSC chief Ciaran Martin is investigating the digital faux pas.
- The leak occurred 45 minutes before the Chancellor’s official announcement.
- The investigation aims to prevent future premature disclosures.
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