Local forums set up to protect councils against cyber attacks are failing to work together to deal with the threat, council IT leaders have warned.
In a new briefing the Society of Information Technology Management says the number of UK Local Resilience Forums which bring together councils and Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) to consider the threat of cyber-attacks to local business development is growing.
But it says only half of local authorities belong to the government-founded Cyber Security Information Sharing Partnership.
The briefing says: 'Cyber resilience is generally seen as an "IT security" matter in local government, not often treated as a major business and service threat, with top executive and political ownership. This needs to change.'
Although local government has not been a target for large-scale cyber-attacks so far, Socitm says, the risks are changing and growing.
Local government is becoming increasingly important in delivery of public services, more data is shared between councils and the ‘internet of things’, in which everyday objects have internet connectivity, is becoming a reality.
Socitm says local and national government should develop a 'symbiotic relationship' to tackle cyber threats.
Local government should be given responsibility for cyber resilience including risk assessment, audit, testing, awareness, public engagement, training and information sharing.
