Greater Manchester councils hit with cyber attack, thousands targeted with phishing emails

TLDR:

• A cyber attack on councils in Greater Manchester led to phishing emails being sent to thousands of users.
• The incident highlighted the risks that local authorities face, especially from supply chain attacks.

Key Elements of the Article:

A major cyber attack targeted councils across Greater Manchester, impacting the Locata housing websites for Manchester, Salford, and Bolton councils. This attack resulted in thousands of users receiving phishing emails asking them to provide personal data under the guise of ‘activating tenancy options’. As a response, Manchester City Council suspended its Manchester Move website, and Salford City Council temporarily closed its Home Search website. The incident underscores the vulnerability of local councils to supply chain attacks, with cybersecurity experts emphasizing the need for proactive security measures such as least privilege access and network segmentation.

Local authorities in the UK are experiencing a significant rise in cyber security incidents, with the government criticized for not adequately addressing the issue. Recent attacks on Kent councils and Leicester City Council have severely disrupted services, highlighting the lucrative target that councils pose for cyber attackers. The need for councils to prioritize building robust security controls to minimize the impact of attacks, particularly from third-party vulnerabilities, is emphasized by industry experts.

Overall, the article underscores the evolving threat landscape faced by local councils, the importance of proactive security measures, and the need for government support in addressing cyber security challenges.