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| Councils 'unprepared' for cyber-attacks, report says | Councils 'unprepared' for cyber-attacks, report says |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| More than 25% of UK councils have had their computer systems breached in the past five years, campaigners say. | More than 25% of UK councils have had their computer systems breached in the past five years, campaigners say. |
| A report by privacy group Big Brother Watch based on freedom of information requests found 114 councils experienced at least one incident between 2013 and 2017. | A report by privacy group Big Brother Watch based on freedom of information requests found 114 councils experienced at least one incident between 2013 and 2017. |
| The group said it was "shocked" that staff often lacked cyber-training. | The group said it was "shocked" that staff often lacked cyber-training. |
| The Local Government Association said councils took their privacy responsibilities "extremely seriously". | The Local Government Association said councils took their privacy responsibilities "extremely seriously". |
| 'Protect citizens' | 'Protect citizens' |
| Big Brother Watch said it had received responses from 395 local authorities and that, of the 114 that said their systems had been breached, 25 reported they had experienced a data loss or breach as a result. | Big Brother Watch said it had received responses from 395 local authorities and that, of the 114 that said their systems had been breached, 25 reported they had experienced a data loss or breach as a result. |
| It said the majority of successful cyber-attacks began with so-called phishing emails designed to trick staff into revealing passwords and other data. | It said the majority of successful cyber-attacks began with so-called phishing emails designed to trick staff into revealing passwords and other data. |
| Big Brother Watch said humans were the weakest link the cyber-security chain and the risk could only be reduced by introducing training for all council employees. | Big Brother Watch said humans were the weakest link the cyber-security chain and the risk could only be reduced by introducing training for all council employees. |
| Three-quarters of councils did not provide mandatory cyber-security training, and 16% did not provide any at all, according to the report. | Three-quarters of councils did not provide mandatory cyber-security training, and 16% did not provide any at all, according to the report. |
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| Jennifer Krueckeberg, lead researcher at Big Brother Watch, said: "One would assume that they [councils] would be doing their utmost to protect citizens' sensitive information. | Jennifer Krueckeberg, lead researcher at Big Brother Watch, said: "One would assume that they [councils] would be doing their utmost to protect citizens' sensitive information. |
| "Local authorities need to take urgent action and make sure they fulfil their responsibilities to protect citizens," she added. | "Local authorities need to take urgent action and make sure they fulfil their responsibilities to protect citizens," she added. |
| Based on the FoI data, the report estimates the number of cyber-attacks on local authorities, which hold the data of millions of residents, at 98 million between 2013 and 2017. | Based on the FoI data, the report estimates the number of cyber-attacks on local authorities, which hold the data of millions of residents, at 98 million between 2013 and 2017. |
| This amounts to 37 attacks every minute. | This amounts to 37 attacks every minute. |
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| A Local Government Association spokesman said: "Very few of these attacks actually manage to breach the firewalls or scanning systems in place." | A Local Government Association spokesman said: "Very few of these attacks actually manage to breach the firewalls or scanning systems in place." |
| He added that councils were working with the National Cyber Security Centre to ensure their systems "are as robust and resilient as possible". | He added that councils were working with the National Cyber Security Centre to ensure their systems "are as robust and resilient as possible". |
| It comes as figures released earlier this month by the National Cyber Security Centre showed Britain is repelling millions of attacks a month. | It comes as figures released earlier this month by the National Cyber Security Centre showed Britain is repelling millions of attacks a month. |
| They showed that councils are among the organisations most commonly imitated in emails designed to gain trust. | They showed that councils are among the organisations most commonly imitated in emails designed to gain trust. |