London councils under cyber siege: Data fears grip the capital
Which councils were hit?
Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster councils have confirmed cyber attacks in the past 48 hours. Both are working with GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to protect residents’ data.
Nearby Hammersmith and Fulham reported IT glitches, but Hackney Council has denied being affected despite earlier rumours.
Services face disruption
The councils share IT systems and phone lines, which have been crippled by the attack. Kensington and Chelsea warned residents they might struggle to contact them by phone or online.
“We don’t have all the answers yet, as the management of this incident is ongoing,” a Kensington and Chelsea spokesperson said. “It’s too early to confirm who is behind this or if data was compromised, but we are investigating thoroughly.”
Westminster Council took the drastic step of shutting down its networks as a precaution. The Local Democracy Reporting Service confirmed many locals are having trouble reaching council services.
Police and cybersecurity teams respond
The Metropolitan Police Cyber Crime Unit is investigating but has made no arrests so far.
The National Cyber Security Centre said: “We are aware of an incident affecting some local authority services in London and are working to understand any potential impact.”
London caught in wider cyber crime spree
This latest assault comes amid a surge in cyber attacks across the capital. Major names like M&S, Co-op, Harrods, Heathrow Airport, and even a local nursery chain have been hit recently, exposing huge amounts of customer and personal data.
Experts warn big organisations remain prime targets due to the treasure trove of data they hold.
