McGrail Inquiry Commissions Expert Report Into “Likely Data Breach”
The Inquiry into the early retirement of former RGP Commissioner McGrail has commissioned a report by an expert IT forensics/cybersecurity firm into the nature and extent of a likely data breach affecting its documents.
On 16 November, the Inquiry informed the Core Participants that it had received information about a likely data breach in Gibraltar affecting the Inquiry’s documents. Although the situation is, according to the Inquiry, “still developing on a daily basis”, it was able to provide the following updates:
“The incident was immediately reported to the Royal Gibraltar Police and the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority. As reported in the Gibraltar media, the RGP made two arrests on 16 November 2022 and is continuing to investigate the incident. The Inquiry is cooperating with both organisations.
”The Inquiry has commissioned a report by an expert IT forensics/cybersecurity firm into the nature and extent of the breach, to be guided by a detailed terms of reference prepared by the Inquiry. The forensics/cybersecurity firm is currently conducting that investigation, and expects to provide a report to the Inquiry during the course of this week (w/c 5 December 2022). The Inquiry will immediately consider the contents of the report, and hopes to update the Core Participants by the end of the week.
“The Inquiry is keeping under constant review whether it will be possible for the main Inquiry hearing to take place in March 2022, or will need to be postponed as a result of these events. We hope to be able to make a firm decision next week, and will inform the Core Participants (and public) as soon as possible.”
