Hackers have access to bank details, signatures, addresses and national insurance numbers, Gloucester councillor reveals - Gloucestershire Live
Hackers have access to bank details, signatures, addresses and national insurance numbers, Gloucester councillor reveals
Many people's lives were thrown into disarray in December when Gloucester council services were disrupted by a major cyber attack
Gloucester City Council's IT systems were breached by hackers in December 2021
Gloucester City Council's IT systems were breached by hackers in December 2021 (Image: Getty)
People in Gloucester have had their signatures, addresses, national insurance numbers, bank details and driving licences accessed by hackers, a councillor has revealed. Many local people's lives were thrown into disarray in December when council services were disrupted by a major cyber attack.
House sales, benefit payments and planning applications were all delayed after hackers compromised Gloucester City Council's IT systems. Malware, which is software that is specifically designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorised access to a computer, had made it onto their systems. This breach has been been linked to hackers operating out of the former Soviet Union.
The cost of the cyber attack is in the hundreds of thousands and opposition councillors fear it will reach the millions. Questions have also been raised over recent months about the extent of the cyber attack and whether people’s private information has been compromised.
READ MORE: Plans to build 245 homes near 'dreadfully smelly' sewage works in Gloucester opposed by council
However, council leaders have refused to comment on this particular aspect and have consistently said the incident is subject to an active investigation. Last night, Councillor Alastair Chambers (Independent, Matson, Robinswood and White City) cited a public interest exemption to disclose confidential information about the cyber attack to the full council meeting at North Warehouse.
He said that people’s personal information had been accessed by hackers and called on the council’s managing director to resign. “Please can we let the Gloucester residents know that some of their signatures, addresses, national insurance numbers, bank details, driving licences and potentially other information has been stolen as a result of this hack?,” he said.
“Why is it seven months later, that this still has not come forward to the public of Gloucester? There could be hundreds, if not thousands of city residents that have had identity theft as a result of the breach. I request that the city council managing director steps up to mark and resigns for the city.”
Deputy leader Hannah Norman (C, Quedgeley Fieldcourt) said the cyber attack was subject to an active investigation. She said the council complied with the 24 hour notify the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). She said: “At the moment we are working with ICO when we are able to respond more fully we will. This is currently subject to an active investigation. No conclusions have been taken.”
Many people's lives were thrown into disarray in December when Gloucester council services were disrupted by a major cyber attack
Gloucester City Council's IT systems were breached by hackers in December 2021
Gloucester City Council's IT systems were breached by hackers in December 2021 (Image: Getty)
People in Gloucester have had their signatures, addresses, national insurance numbers, bank details and driving licences accessed by hackers, a councillor has revealed. Many local people's lives were thrown into disarray in December when council services were disrupted by a major cyber attack.
House sales, benefit payments and planning applications were all delayed after hackers compromised Gloucester City Council's IT systems. Malware, which is software that is specifically designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorised access to a computer, had made it onto their systems. This breach has been been linked to hackers operating out of the former Soviet Union.
The cost of the cyber attack is in the hundreds of thousands and opposition councillors fear it will reach the millions. Questions have also been raised over recent months about the extent of the cyber attack and whether people’s private information has been compromised.
READ MORE: Plans to build 245 homes near 'dreadfully smelly' sewage works in Gloucester opposed by council
However, council leaders have refused to comment on this particular aspect and have consistently said the incident is subject to an active investigation. Last night, Councillor Alastair Chambers (Independent, Matson, Robinswood and White City) cited a public interest exemption to disclose confidential information about the cyber attack to the full council meeting at North Warehouse.
He said that people’s personal information had been accessed by hackers and called on the council’s managing director to resign. “Please can we let the Gloucester residents know that some of their signatures, addresses, national insurance numbers, bank details, driving licences and potentially other information has been stolen as a result of this hack?,” he said.
“Why is it seven months later, that this still has not come forward to the public of Gloucester? There could be hundreds, if not thousands of city residents that have had identity theft as a result of the breach. I request that the city council managing director steps up to mark and resigns for the city.”
Deputy leader Hannah Norman (C, Quedgeley Fieldcourt) said the cyber attack was subject to an active investigation. She said the council complied with the 24 hour notify the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). She said: “At the moment we are working with ICO when we are able to respond more fully we will. This is currently subject to an active investigation. No conclusions have been taken.”
