William Eichler 12 October 2017

Over 80% of councils leaving citizens exposed to ‘phishing attacks’, survey reveals

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.

The cloud data intelligence company OnDMARC analysed 152 council domains to assess whether they had implemented DMARC, the Government-backed protocol for securing email systems against phishing attacks.

The study discovered just one council in the North West had taken adequate steps to secure its domain against email impersonation, while in the East Midlands, London and the North East, just 11%, 15% and 17% respectively, demonstrated adequate security protection.

The failure of councils to secure their domains sufficiently contravenes the recommendations of the National Cyber Security Centre which stated last year, ’Widespread adoption of the DMARC protocol is essential to defend against targeted cyber threats.’

‘Without DMARC, local authorities’ email domains can easily be spoofed by criminals,’ said Randal Pinto, COO and co-founder, OnDMARC.

‘What this means for residents of some of England’s largest cities – including Birmingham, Liverpool and Bristol – is that they’re being put at risk of receiving fraudulent emails and thus falling victim to data or financial theft.

‘Whether you’re dealing with residents of the smallest local authority in the Isles of Scilly or Barnet, the largest borough of London, local authorities have an obligation to ensure their citizens aren’t a target for phishing attacks from spoofed Government email addresses.’

‘While a handful of councils have taken steps to secure their domains, more authorities need to heed the advice of GCHQ’s security arm by deploying DMARC,’ Mr Pinto continued.

‘HMRC has reported that 300 million phishing emails have already been blocked following DMARC deployment, keeping taxpayers secure from the threat of phishing attacks.’

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Climate Change Project Manager - Braintree District Council

Essex County Council
Up to £45498.0000 per annum
Essex County Council (ECC) are delighted to be supporting Braintree Council to recruit this Climate Change Project Manager. To apply for this role please click here
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Occupational Therapist in Housing

Essex County Council
£37185 - £50081 per annum + Flexible Working, Hybrid
This opportunity is available as a 24 month fixed term contract or secondment opportunity.We're an adult social care service that wants to see citize England, Essex, Chelmsford
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Social Worker

North Yorkshire Council
£38,220 - £42,839 per annum, pro rata
In our Family Assessment and Support Team, you will work with a range of children and their families, carers and networks. Richmond, North Yorkshire
Recuriter: North Yorkshire Council

Relief Children's Residential Edge of Care Worker

North Yorkshire Council
£16.35 - £17.85
Here in North Yorkshire, we have several services that support and empower children. Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Recuriter: North Yorkshire Council

Chief Executive

Leicestershire County Council
Up to £234,171
This is a rare opportunity to lead a council with both strength and ambition at a time of change. Leicestershire
Recuriter: Leicestershire County Council
Linkedin Banner