A council in London has disclosed that hackers potentially accessed and extracted sensitive personal data during a cyber attack that occurred in November.
As reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Westminster City Council indicated that the breach involved some “limited data” stored on a shared IT platform with Kensington and Chelsea Council.
To address the situation, the council has been collaborating with the Metropolitan Police, the National Crime Agency, the National Cyber Security Centre, and various cyber security specialists to investigate the breach, ascertain the specific data compromised, and evaluate the impact on residents.
They have established a dedicated helpline and email address to assist the public with any inquiries.
David Boothroyd, the cabinet member responsible for Finance and Council Reform, stated: “I want to assure residents that we are taking all necessary measures to effectively respond to the cyber security incident while continuing to provide our services.”
“Our main focus is to support and safeguard our most vulnerable community members, even amidst the ongoing disruptions.”
“We responded promptly to secure our systems and are making efforts towards restoring council services as safely and swiftly as we can, though it will take some time. We are devoted to maintaining transparency and will keep providing updates as we move through the recovery process,” he added.
Kensington and Chelsea Council indicated that it might be “months” before services return to normal.
Council leader Elizabeth Campbell noted that a review would be conducted “when the time is right.”
Hammersmith and Fulham Council, the third affected authority, reported no current evidence suggesting that its systems have been compromised.
Westminster City Council is advising residents to exercise caution regarding unexpected communications, be it calls, emails, or texts, and to adhere to the guidance provided by the National Cyber Security Centre.
Residents can reach the dedicated helpline at 0207 641 1919, available from 9 AM to 5 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and from 9 AM to 4 PM on Wednesday. They may also contact the council via email at cyberenquiry@westminster.gov.uk.
Additionally, the council has released a list of services that have been affected by the cyber attack.
