UK Visa Portal spilled thousands of applicants’ passports and selfies online — and hasn’t fixed the leak

A significant security breach at the UK Visa Portal has resulted in the exposure of sensitive documents, including passports and selfies, belonging to applicants seeking U.K. immigration visas. An anonymous tipster alerted TechCrunch about this alarming situation, revealing that over 100,000 personal documents have been made publicly accessible on the site. It is important to note that the UK Visa Portal is not affiliated with the U.K. government, leading to confusion among users who mistakenly submitted fees to this third-party service instead of the official GOV.UK website. TechCrunch was able to verify the authenticity of the leaked documents by reaching out to individuals affected by the breach. Adding to the concern, the UK Visa Portal lacks a clear mechanism for reporting security issues, nor does it provide contact information for its management team. In an effort to address the ongoing security problem, TechCrunch attempted to contact the company through the email listed on its website. However, they received a response only from the company’s legal representatives and public relations firm. TechCrunch reiterated the urgency of the matter, emphasizing that details about the exposed data could only be shared directly with company management due to its sensitive nature. Unfortunately, they have yet to receive any communication from the management team at UK Visa Portal. As the situation remains unresolved, TechCrunch believes it is crucial for individuals who have utilized the services of UK Visa Portal to be informed about the data leak. To mitigate any further risks, the publication has chosen not to disclose specific details regarding the breach. It is advised that applicants utilize the official U.K. government website for electronic travel authorization applications rather than relying on third-party services, unless they are working with an immigration attorney.