Cyber attacks | LocalGov


Personal data stolen as council struck by cyber attack 17/01/2025 Investigations have revealed that personal data was infringed in a cyber attack that struck Gateshead Council in the early hours of 8 January.
Councils to be banned from making ransomware payments 14/01/2025 Local authorities could be banned from making ransomware payments as part of the Government’s plans to crack down on cybercrime.
Councils receive support after cyber attack 29/10/2024 A number of councils have received assistance from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) after being targeted by the pro-Russia hacking group Noname05716.
London cabbies receive fines after cyberattack 14/10/2024 Thousands of London taxi drivers have received automated penalties from Transport for London despite being exempt from the city's Ultra Low Emission Zone.
Three councils fall victim to cyber-attack 19/08/2024 Three council housing websites have been taken down after falling victim to a cyber-attack.
Hackney accuses ICO of ‘exaggerating’ cyber attack risk 17/07/2024 Hackney London Borough Council has dismissed a finding that it had breached data protection law before records were lost in a cyber attack.
Ending the ostrich approach to data regulation 03/06/2024 Mark Roebuck, founder of ProvePrivacy, explains how councils struggling to keep up with data regulation adherence demands should look to Data Champions.
Business as Usual: Leicester council’s ‘streetlight’ cyber-attack 17/05/2024 Leicester CC’s response to a recent cyber-attack was an example of an effective business continuity plan, says Billy Ruston, Protection Group International.
New centre to protect Welsh councils from cyber attacks 13/05/2024 The Welsh Government has established a security operations centre (SOC) dedicated to protecting local authorities from cyber attacks.
LocalGov elections: Being vigilant ahead of the local elections 24/04/2024 Ahead of the local elections next month, Owen Prendeville, Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), offers tips for protecting against cyber attacks.
Confidential info published by hackers 05/04/2024 Confidential documents stolen during a cyber attack last month have been published online, a Leicester City Council spokesperson has confirmed.
Council chiefs receive cyber espionage warnings 04/04/2024 Council chiefs have been warned their email accounts, phones and computers will ‘almost certainly’ be targets for ‘cyber espionage’ before elections.
Kent councils hit by cyber incidents 19/01/2024 Canterbury City Council and Dover and Thanet district councils have all issued reports of cyber incidents.
Tackling cyber vulnerabilities 08/01/2024 James Young, CTO at Cantium Business Solutions, discusses how vulnerability management can play an important part in managing cyber security risk.
How social housing professionals can combat cyber-attacks 07/08/2023 How can the sector’s IT professionals safeguard their tech stacks? John Blackburn, Central Networks, outlines some crucial steps to implement.
Russian hackers accessed private data, council says 08/06/2023 Gloucester City Council has warned residents that some personal information may have been stolen by Russian hackers.
Councils to take ‘swift’ action after data breach 17/05/2023 Local authorities say they are taking action to deal with a data breach by the revenues and benefits software supplier, Capita.
Guide to protect ‘smart cities’ from hackers published 16/05/2023 The Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT) has published a new guide to help councils keep ‘smart cities’ safe from cyber threats.
Majority of senior managers admit outdated cybersecurity 04/05/2023 Almost two thirds of senior managers in councils across the UK admit that their cybersecurity approach is outdated.
Councils still vulnerable to online attacks, MPs told 06/02/2023 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.
Local government must look to new technology approaches in 2023 09/12/2022 In the face of unprecedented budgetary and security pressures, local government needs to look for new ways to implement and manage solutions. Richard Hartill reports.
How to Perform A Cyber-Security Risk Assessment 06/12/2022 BT outlines how councils can conduct a cyber-security risk assessment, and the reasons for performing them.
10,000 attacks daily – why local government needs cloud-based cyber defences 24/11/2022 Andy Peart outlines the issues councils face when maintaining the integrity of systems and data, along with regulatory compliance.
How do you protect your people, workplaces and business from the threat of cyber-attacks? 06/10/2022 Read BT’s latest whitepaper to find out how to protect your organisation from a cyber-attack.
Luton council victim of £1.1m cyber crime 16/08/2022 Luton council was the victim of a ‘highly sophisticated and organised crime group’ that stole £1.1m that had been earmarked for a school, investigation finds.
Why councils must not relax data protection standards 12/07/2022 Rob Batters warns councils should not relax data protection standards in response to the ICO's new strategy.
Councils to receive funding boost to improve cyber defences 25/01/2022 Local authorities will receive £37.8m to boost their cyber resilience, the Government has announced today.
Nine councils chosen for Digital Pathfinders Programme 23/11/2021 Nine councils have been awarded funding to improve digital inclusion, connectivity and cyber security.
Protecting local government against an ever-growing threat landscape 08/11/2021 Tony Robertson warns councils must ensure their systems are updated with the latest security protections in the wake of recent cyberattacks.
Protecting local government against an ever-growing threat landscape 28/10/2021 Tony Robertson warns councils must ensure their systems are updated with the latest security protections in the wake of recent cyberattacks.
Investigation warns council data for sale on dark web 20/09/2021 Thousands of compromised information available for sale to criminals operating on the dark web is connected to councils across the North East and North Yorkshire region, an investigation has revealed.
Councils reported 700 data breaches last year 28/06/2021 Councils reported more than 700 data breaches to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) last year, according to the findings of an investigation.
Cyber security in a post-pandemic world 18/05/2021 Mark Scott outlines how councils can build a secure cyber strategy and secure data for the long term.
Smart cities could be targeted by hackers, experts warn 07/05/2021 Local authorities have been given expert guidance to help protect their smart cities from cyber attacks.
A third of councils experienced unplanned IT outages in past year 25/03/2021 Nearly a third (32%) of councils experienced unplanned IT outages in the past year, according to new research.
The five human impacts of ransomware attacks 25/01/2021 Jonathan Lee examines the human impact that five cyber attacked on public services had.
Criminals publish stolen council data online 07/01/2021 Data stolen from Hackney Council in a cyber attack last October has been published online by the criminals responsible.
Councils have 'minimal' awareness of cyber-threats, think tank warns 15/10/2020 Some councils are delaying the rollout of cyber security in order to reduce costs despite the increased risk of hacks due to the pandemic, a think tank has warned.
London council hit by ‘serious’ cyber attack 14/10/2020 Hackney Council has been the target of a ‘serious cyber attack’ that has affected its IT systems and services.
Cyber attack cost council more than £10m 06/08/2020 A ransomware attack in February cost Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council more than £10m, a new report has revealed.
How councils can use deception to fight cybercrime 15/07/2020 Carolyn Crandall outlines how local authorities can use deception as a defence against cybercriminals.
Research finds councils still vulnerable to ransomware attacks 20/05/2020 Nearly half of local government workers do not know what ransomware is, making councils more vulnerable to cyber attacks new research has warned.
Welsh councils given funding to tackle cyber crime 04/05/2020 Each council in Wales will receive a £9,000 grant to tackle the increase in cyber crime during the coronavirus pandemic.
How does the London Borough of Bexley crack cyber security? 24/03/2020 Neil Gooding, information security manager, London Borough of Bexley explains how they are cracking the cyber security challenge.
Simple steps to improve cybersecurity 24/01/2020 Sameer Dixit argues security is a weak point in councils' armour and outlines ways local authorities can anticipate and plan for cyberattacks.
Councils hit by 800 cyber-attacks an hour 04/10/2019 Councils have been hit by at least 263 million cyber-attacks in the first half of this year - the equivalent of 800 every hour - new research has revealed.
The true potential of 5G for local government 07/08/2019 Iain Shearman warns councils not to overlook security concerns when embracing the next generation network.
Not all ethical hackers are equal 07/03/2019 Bas de Graaf provides advice on choosing the right partner to help you stay secure.
Council chiefs get £1.5m to ‘bolster’ cyber security 30/04/2018 The Local Government Association (LGA) has been awarded £1.5m to help councils defend themselves against hackers and other cyber security threats.
Cyber security: challenging the old way of doing things 13/04/2018 Dan Davies explains why using a decentralised, peer-to-peer system could help councils protect sensitive data.
Belfast appoints resilience commissioner 10/04/2018 Belfast City Council has appointed a new commissioner to help the city prepare for any scenario that might prevent it from functioning properly.
Heading off danger 09/04/2018 The MJ turned to BT’s top cyber security experts, Mike Pannell and Neil Mellor, for comments on the findings on the latest reader survey. Their insight comes from decades of personal experience and BT’s expertise as a global network provider.
Meeting the cyber security threat: are you ready? 09/04/2018 With local authorities increasingly concerned about cyber security, The MJ and BT undertook a survey to gauge the level of preparation. Michael Burton reports on the key findings.
New appointment to help councils guard against cyber-attacks 14/03/2018 The appointment of an information security officer is set to help Scottish local authorities guard against the increasing risk of sophisticated cyber-attacks.
Councils recognised for ‘best’ cyber security 06/02/2018 Northumberland, Cardiff and Denbighshire councils have been named as three of the organisations best defending themselves from online scams.
Technology and the public sector 2018 15/01/2018 Jos Creese outlines some key technology trends councils should focus on in 2018.
Councils call for more funding to protect against cyber attacks 18/10/2017 Councils need more funding if they are to handle the rising number of cyber attacks, town hall chiefs have warned today.
Ensuring outsourced IT services are secure 16/10/2017 Lowri Phillips explains how councils can protect themselves from ransomware attacks, especially if they have outsourced IT functions.
Over 80% of councils leaving citizens exposed to ‘phishing attacks’, survey reveals 12/10/2017 Millions of citizens are exposed to the threat of phishing attacks, as new survey reveals 84% of local authorities in England lack adequate cyber defences.
Councils face ‘crisis in confidence’ over cyber-attacks 20/09/2017 Three-quarters of council departments have experienced a cyber-attack in the last year, with half falling victim to ransomware, new research has revealed.
Half of councils fail to have cyber attack strategy 13/09/2017 More than half of local authorities have no strategy to protect them against cyber attack, according to a survey by internet experts.
Majority of councils ‘unprepared’ for cyber attacks, survey reveals 29/06/2017 Only half of the UK’s local authorities are prepared for a cyber attack, new survey reveals.
Vigilance urged after cyber hack 18/05/2017 Councils cannot be complacent and must continue to invest in cyber-security to cope with the sort of attack that paralysed NHS IT systems, experts have warned.
Hackers take over Aberdeen City Council’s website 30/01/2017 Aberdeen City Council’s website was hacked by ‘Team System Dz’ for nearly three hours on Saturday evening.
Devolution: what’s in store for local authorities in 2017? 16/01/2017 Will 2017 bring the same radical changes to local government we saw last year? Andrew Jepp investigates.
Two-thirds of London’s councils suffered recent security breaches 24/11/2016 Nearly two thirds (64%) of London’s councils have suffered ‘astonishing’ security breaches in recent years, an FoI request reveals.
Future-proofing technology 21/11/2016 Graham Ford argues that local councils should have at least a five-year strategy for their IT departments to help future-proof systems and services.
Local digital chiefs welcome Government’s cyber security strategy 02/11/2016 Whitehall’s National Cyber Security Strategy provides a ‘welcome boost’ to local government efforts to keep their operations secure, say digital chiefs.
Socitm announces Cyber Guide partnership 19/10/2016 The public sector is a key target for cyber criminals and ‘cannot rest on its laurels’, Socitm warns.
Pen testing: cyber security strategies for local authorities 19/09/2016 Penetration testing and why more local authorities see it as a key part of their cyber security strategy.
Defending local government 12/08/2016 With several local authorities recently falling victim to ransomware attacks, Guy Bunker outlines how council can ensure they are fully protected from cyber threats.
Cyber-attacks force councils to review security finds survey 12/07/2016 The majority (85%) of IT professionals in local government are reviewing their security considerations following recent high-profile cyber attacks, a new survey has revealed.