St Helens Council is investigating a suspected ransomware attack.
The local authority has confirmed details of the incident in which said its IT systems and networks had been hit.
St Helens said some of its internal systems have been affected due to actions it has put in place to prevent any further impact, and whilst a full investigation is undertaken.
The council is moving to reassure residents that cybersecurity specialists are working to fix the problem, but it is “a very complex and evolving situation.”
The council issued a statement on its website which said the attack was first identified on Monday, August 21. It said it “immediately alerted our external cyber security contractor to investigate this issue further.
“We have now put in place a number of security measures to keep our IT networks running safely.”
“While we work through this ongoing situation we would recommend that residents are mindful of how to keep themselves safe online and be alert to any communications they may have received from the council,” it said.
The council is still able to provide council services via its website.
St Helens is also urging residents to watch out for online scams and have provided tips for dealing with scammers on its website.
Breaches within local authorities
Councils within the UK suffered almost 1500 data breaches and more than 600 devices were lost or stolen during the course of 2022.
Separately In June, around 90 separate organisations have reported breaches of personal information held by Capita after the payroll outsourcing group suffered a cyberattack. This caused major IT outages for clients, some of which ran crucial services for the NHS, local councils and the military. The BBC reported that a number of councils have said they believe personal data was put at risk.
Earlier this month, the UK Electoral Commission has revealed that it was the victim of a cyberattack that breached the personal data of voters and internal systems.
