{"id":"811a53c3-1c8a-408f-9831-8db1d834501f","slug":"kraken-k3-camera-china-data-leak","kind":"regulatory_action","headline":"K3 Scout drone cameras secretly transmitted heartbeat data to Chinese IP address","summary":"Cameras fitted to K3 Scout USVs operated by the Royal Navy transmitted heartbeat communications to an IP address in China. The discovery was made at the Special Boat Service HQ in Poole, Dorset, after the 12m drone fleet entered service in March 2026. The UK MoD said a routine cyber vulnerability assessment identified the issue; Kraken conducted a full audit and confirmed no sensitive data was shared outside intended channels. The cameras were third-party, US NDAA-compliant components with some subcomponents originating from outside the UK.","occurredAt":"2026-03-01T00:00:00.000Z","reviewStatus":"unreviewed","modelId":"1648cbba-f9c4-4944-888e-86deb86dcda2","deploymentId":null,"companyId":"76a0f3b2-bf71-421f-8e67-7189a51c8af9","dataCenterId":null,"aliases":[],"collisionRisk":"none","reviewNote":null,"severity":"moderate","rootCauseCategory":null,"rootCauseDetail":null,"affectedUnitsCount":null,"affectedUnitsBasis":null,"remediationStatus":null,"regulatoryAction":"investigation","regulatoryBody":"UK Ministry of Defence","propertyDamageEstimateUsd":null,"damageEstimateBasis":null,"bodilyInjurySeverity":null,"fatalityCount":null,"lossCostClass":null,"sourceQualityTier":null,"oshaRecordable":null,"oshaCaseNumber":null,"rootCauseDisclosed":null,"publicDisclosureDate":null,"insuranceClaimPublic":null,"formFactor":null,"latitude":null,"longitude":null,"autonomyClass":null,"legalOutcomeClass":"unknown","createdAt":"2026-09-05T17:05:25.699Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-05T17:05:25.699Z","model":{"id":"1648cbba-f9c4-4944-888e-86deb86dcda2","companyId":"76a0f3b2-bf71-421f-8e67-7189a51c8af9","modelName":"Kraken USV Platform","slug":"kraken-usv","description":"Family of uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) for maritime defense and security operations. Includes the K3 Scout (27-foot, air-deployable, 650nm range, 28mph top speed, 600kg payload, 30-day endurance), K4 Manta (18-foot, semi-submersible capable of diving 30+ feet, 220lb payload), and K5 Kraken (36-foot, 50 knots top speed, 1,000nm range, 30-day endurance). A K7 long-range vessel is in development.","formFactor":"maritime","industryVertical":"defense","environment":"outdoor","maturityStage":"commercial","lifecycleState":"active","supersededByModelId":null,"specs":{},"manufacturerSerial":null,"reviewStatus":"reviewed","sources":[{"url":"https://smartmaritimenetwork.com/2026/07/09/uncrewed-vessel-firm-kraken-technology-group-raises-175m/","title":"Uncrewed vessel firm Kraken Technology Group raises $175m","sourceName":"Smart Maritime Network"},{"url":"https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-08/former-speedboat-racer-s-startup-is-europe-s-newest-defense-unicorn","title":"Former Speedboat Racer's Startup Is Europe's Newest Defense Unicorn","sourceName":"Bloomberg"},{"url":"https://www.tectonic-defense.com/2026/07/09/kraken-raises-175m-at-a-1b-valuation/","title":"Kraken Raises $175M at a $1B Valuation","sourceName":"Tectonic Defense"}],"aliases":[],"collisionRisk":"low","reviewNote":null,"manufacturerTermForTeleop":null,"keyFacts":[],"createdAt":"2026-09-03T05:08:49.193Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-05T17:09:19.160Z","unitsInFieldClaimed":null,"unitsInFieldVerified":null,"unitsManufacturedClaimed":null,"unitsManufacturedVerified":null,"unitsAsOf":null,"unitsSource":null,"salesModel":null,"priceUndisclosedSince":null,"autonomyClass":null,"autonomyStatement":null,"autonomyStatementSource":null,"demoForensics":null,"exportControlClass":null,"minCommitment":null,"warrantyTerms":null,"serviceModel":null,"productionRateClaimed":null,"productionRateEvidenced":null,"teleopRatioDisclosed":null,"interventionRateDisclosed":null},"deployment":null,"company":{"id":"76a0f3b2-bf71-421f-8e67-7189a51c8af9","name":"Kraken Technology Group","slug":"kraken","description":"British defense technology company developing uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) and autonomous maritime platforms for naval and security applications. Founded by Mal Crease in 2020, Kraken builds a line of dual-use autonomous boats — the K3 Scout, K4 Manta, and K5 Kraken — that can be configured for surveillance, logistics, anti-submarine warfare, and precision strike missions. Raised $175M Series B at $1B valuation in July 2026, achieving unicorn status. The company builds through manufacturing partnerships with [Rheinmetall](/companies/rheinmetall), [Anduril](/companies/anduril-industries), and Inocea's Davie Shipbuilding rather than operating its own shipyards.","status":null,"founded":2020,"hq":"London, United Kingdom","hqLat":null,"hqLng":null,"hqGeocodedAt":null,"hqAddress":null,"hqPrecision":null,"website":"krakentech.com","fundingTotal":"175000000","type":"hardware","roles":[],"reviewStatus":"reviewed","heatIndex":0,"lifecycleState":"active","supersededByCompanyId":null,"sources":[{"url":"https://smartmaritimenetwork.com/2026/07/09/uncrewed-vessel-firm-kraken-technology-group-raises-175m/","title":"Uncrewed vessel firm Kraken Technology Group raises $175m","sourceName":"Smart Maritime Network"},{"url":"https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-08/former-speedboat-racer-s-startup-is-europe-s-newest-defense-unicorn","title":"Former Speedboat Racer's Startup Is Europe's Newest Defense Unicorn","sourceName":"Bloomberg"},{"url":"https://www.tectonic-defense.com/2026/07/09/kraken-raises-175m-at-a-1b-valuation/","title":"Kraken Raises $175M at a $1B Valuation","sourceName":"Tectonic Defense"}],"keyFacts":[{"label":"CEO","value":"Mal Crease"},{"label":"Founded","value":"2020"},{"label":"Products","value":"K3 Scout, K4 Manta, K5 Kraken, K7 (in development)"},{"label":"Funding","value":"$175M Series B (Jul 2026)"},{"label":"Valuation","value":"$1B (Jul 2026)"},{"label":"HQ","value":"London, United Kingdom"},{"label":"Sector","value":"Maritime defense / USV"},{"label":"Lead Investor","value":"DTCP (Digital Transformation Capital Partners)"},{"label":"Key Investors","value":"British Business Bank, NATO Innovation Fund, Rheinmetall, Inocea Group, Speedinvest"},{"label":"Contracts","value":"UK MoD, NATO partners, USSOCOM"},{"label":"Manufacturing Partners","value":"Rheinmetall (Germany), Anduril (US), Inocea/Davie Shipbuilding (Canada)"},{"label":"K3 Scout Specs","value":"27ft, air-deployable, 650nm range, 28mph, 600kg payload, 30-day endurance"},{"label":"K5 Kraken Specs","value":"36ft, 50 knots top speed, 1,000nm range, 30-day endurance"},{"label":"K4 Manta Specs","value":"18ft, semi-submersible (30+ ft dive depth), 220lb payload"}],"aliases":[],"collisionRisk":"low","reviewNote":null,"atsProvider":null,"atsSlug":null,"factoryLocations":null,"manufacturingCapacity":null,"orgType":null,"burnSignal":null,"litigationEvents":null,"insurancePostureDisclosed":null,"unitEconomicsDisclosed":null,"tickerSymbol":null,"stockExchange":null,"secCik":null,"revenueUsd":null,"revenueBasis":null,"revenueAsOf":null,"employeeCount":null,"employeeCountBasis":null,"employeeCountAsOf":null,"marketCapUsd":null,"marketCapAsOf":null,"marketCapSource":null,"createdAt":"2026-09-03T05:08:48.805Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-05T17:05:48.885Z"},"derived":{"status":"active"},"sources":[{"id":"bf1311b0-01f7-4d51-92c2-758823d6a926","incidentId":"811a53c3-1c8a-408f-9831-8db1d834501f","url":"https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/royal-navy-china-data-leak-37531546","label":null,"publishedAt":null,"notes":null,"title":"Royal Navy drones secretly sent data to China in huge security breach","sourceName":"The Mirror","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-09-05T17:05:26.094Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-05T17:05:26.094Z"}],"responses":[],"statusEvents":[],"jsonLd":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://registry.deploy.report/incidents/kraken-k3-camera-china-data-leak","url":"https://registry.deploy.report/incidents/kraken-k3-camera-china-data-leak","headline":"K3 Scout drone cameras secretly transmitted heartbeat data to Chinese IP address","description":"Cameras fitted to K3 Scout USVs operated by the Royal Navy transmitted heartbeat communications to an IP address in China. The discovery was made at the Special Boat Service HQ in Poole, Dorset, after the 12m drone fleet entered service in March 2026. The UK MoD said a routine cyber vulnerability assessment identified the issue; Kraken conducted a full audit and confirmed no sensitive data was shared outside intended channels. The cameras were third-party, US NDAA-compliant components with some subcomponents originating from outside the UK.","identifier":"811a53c3-1c8a-408f-9831-8db1d834501f","datePublished":"2026-03-01T00:00:00.000Z","articleSection":"regulatory action","publisher":{"@id":"https://deploy.report/#organization"},"author":{"@id":"https://deploy.report/#organization"}},"framework_metadata":{"framework_schema_version":"0.1.0","verification_status":"unreviewed","maturity_stage":null,"lifecycle_state":null,"architectural_position":{"cohort":null,"sub_cohorts":[]},"within_cohort_verified_vs_claimed_pair":null,"cap_flags":[],"verification_depth":{"sources_count":1,"primary_source_types":[]}}}