LONDON -- Security is being reviewed Monday after a hoax caller managed to get through to the British prime minister's phone claiming he was the head of intelligence agency GCHQ.
David Cameron is said to have swiftly realised the call on Sunday was a hoax and ended it. The hoax caller also got the mobile phone number of GCHQ chief Robert Hannigan's number.
"Following two hoax calls to Government departments today, a notice has gone out to all departments to be on the alert for such calls," a Government spokeswoman said.
"In the first instance, a call was made to GCHQ which resulted in the disclosure of a mobile phone number for the director. In the second instance, a hoax caller claiming to be the GCHQ director was connected to the Prime Minister.
"The Prime Minister ended the call when it became clear it was a hoax. In neither instance was sensitive information disclosed."
The spokeswoman said both GCHQ and Downing Street were reviewing procedures, adding that government would learn lessons from the incident and all government departments are now on alert for similar calls.
After dialling Cameron and GCHQ, a man claiming he was the hoax caller phoned the Sun newspaper to brag about the calls. The Sun said the man claimed he made the calls despite being high on drink and drugs.
"I've just made complete monkeys out of GCHQ. I've got the mobile number of the director," he told the paper.
"What's more, I am off my face on booze and cocaine."