Councils must get together with insurers to work out how to protect themselves against the risk of cyber attacks, a leading security expert has warned.

Ciaran Martin, founder of the GCHQ's National Cyber Security Centre, told MPs that local authorities across the country are still vulnerable to online attacks.

He told parliament's joint committee on the national security strategy that some councils cannot afford insurance cover to mitigate the risk and warned that taxpayers could end up paying the bill if something goes wrong.

Several councils have reported being victims of cyber attacks.

Last week Redcar and Cleveland Council leader Mary Lanigan told the committee that it had faced a ‘catastrophic’ attack with a ransom demand of several million pounds.

The council had no insurance to cover itself against the financial impact and had received a ‘clean bill of health’ for its IT security just two months before.

The council refused to pay the ransom and its website had to be rebuilt and work was needed to ensure that home-working was safe for staff during the coronavirus pandemic.

Following the attack an investigation by the National Crime Agency was launched alongside the National Cyber Security Centre and Cleveland police. Mr Martin said: ‘It would be good if central government, local government and the insurers could get together and see if they can work this out.’

He said that if ‘local authorities can't afford proper cover and something goes wrong then it's taxpayers – either local or national – who end up paying’.

To read more on cyber security check out The MJ's (£) feature, 'A cyber-resilient public sector needs investment'.