Council networks under siege by cyber attackers

Council IT networks are attacked 37 times a minute, local authorities admit.

A survey found local government computer systems had been targeted in 100million cyber attacks over five years. Research by privacy campaign Big Brother Watch found computers holding data relating to millions of residents had been subjected to malicious attempts to damage, disrupt, or gain unauthorised access to them via viruses, malware, or phishing.

Over five years there were 376 cases of an actual breach, according to the study. A local government spokesman said: “Websites are constantly being bombarded. Councils will take whatever measures necessary to keep residents’ data safe.”