RNLI Data Breach Amid Far-Right Targeting of Charity

• •RNLI warns supporters of potential data breach affecting personal information.
• •Cyber-attack targeted Beacon CRM, impacting around 1,500 charities.
• •RNLI volunteers face abuse and protests for aiding migrants at sea.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has warned supporters that their personal information may have been compromised due to a cyber-attack on Beacon CRM, a company managing its customer data. The breach, which occurred in late July, affects approximately 1,500 charities, with RNLI advising members to assume their names and interaction records were accessed. This incident follows a surge in hostility towards RNLI volunteers, who have faced abuse for assisting migrants at sea. The RNLI's Portsmouth lifeboat station was temporarily closed due to ongoing threats and protests against the charity's actions. Although there is currently no evidence of misuse of the stolen data, the RNLI has advised volunteers to avoid wearing branded clothing to mitigate risks. The charity has reported a significant increase in donations despite the threats. The RNLI's chief executive condemned the abuse directed at volunteers as unacceptable.