The Ministry of Defence says it regrets a ‘leak’ in the security of its internal communication system. Dutch daily de Volkskrant reports that one of the systems used for video conferences can be easily hacked. Nevertheless a defence spokesperson says its network has never been in any danger.

The inlog page of one of defence’s top people could be opened using a standard factory password, which was easy to find on the internet, A cybercrime expert found the leak following a tip from the hackers group Anonymous.

Video conferences are often held between different units of the Ministry of Defence because of the distances involved. A spokesperson says the system is used at seven locations and staff have been asked not to use it anymore. The system is not purchased by the ministry, but by the staff themselves and runs on internet. As a result, it is separate to the systems run by the Ministry of Defence for video conferences.

It is not known how long the system was used. The Ministry of Defence was only tipped on Thursday and is still investigating.