Boris Johnson’s phone number ‘listed online for last 15 years’
April 30, 2021, 10:19 am

Boris Johnson’s phone number ‘listed online for last 15 years’

Concerns have been raised about Boris Johnson’s phone number being too widely known, after text messages with Sir James Dyson were leaked.

Security expert Peter Ricketts says PM’s conversations could be hacked by criminal gangs

A UK national security adviser has said Boris Johnson should be much more digitally secure after reports that the prime minister’s mobile phone number has been available online for the past 15 years.

Peter Ricketts said Johnson’s phone conversations may well include “sensitive material” and “people trying to lobby them for favours, or tax advantages, or talks with foreign leaders”.

Asked if there could be security concerns, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that if the number had been widely available, it could not be ruled out that hostile states or criminal gangs could have access to it.

“I know that modern systems like WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted, nonetheless I think one would be worried if a hostile state, who had sophisticated capabilities, had the mobile phone number itself,” he said.

That must increase the risk that they are able to eavesdrop on some at least of the communications that are going on, and possibly other non-state actors as well, like sophisticated criminal gangs. So, there is no way of knowing whether that’s true, but there must at least be an increased risk if the number is widely available.

“And there, I think you do have to accept, just as you do – you can’t just walk around on your own and talk to anyone you like – equally you shouldn’t be in a position where anyone who once had your phone number can get to you when you are a prime minister,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

A contact number for Johnson was listed on the bottom of a press release when he was still shadow higher education minister in 2006 – a document that was still available online in 2021.

Reports this month suggested senior officials had advised Johnson to change his number because of concerns about how many people contacted him directly.

Downing Street declined to comment on the report, revealed on the Popbitch website, that Johnson’s phone number was available online to anyone who searched for it.

The press release, which related to his work as a shadow minister, invited journalists to contact Johnson directly on either a Commons office number or his mobile.

The Home Office minister said Johnson was aware of his responsibilities on national security. “The prime minister, more than anyone, knows his responsibilities when it comes to national security,” Victoria Atkins told Times Radio Breakfast.

“I’m slightly surprised that a national broadcaster felt it appropriate to advertise the fact that that mobile phone is on the internet if indeed it is.”

She added that she believed the public was not “particularly interested” in the issue.

Lord Ricketts said it was for Johnson’s interest that his number should be protected, and it was “one of the inconveniences of being a prime minister”.

Johnson’s use of his mobile phone has been in the spotlight after text message exchanges with the entrepreneur Sir James Dyson and Saudi crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman were leaked.

Ricketts said: “So that there can be no suspicion of favours asked for and done or the kind of things that we are now seeing with the exchanges that we see with James Dyson. I think it’s for the prime minister’s own interest to be much more digitally secure than seems to be the case now.”

This month, No 10 refused to deny reports that Simon Case, the head of the civil service, suggested to the prime minister that he change numbers because his current one was too widely known.

Attempts to call the number on Thursday night were met with an automated message saying the phone was “switched off” and an invitation to “please try later or send a text”.

source: Sarah Marsh

Levant

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.