News
Leicester Council has citizens data stolen and published following cyberattack
April 2024 by Dr Darren Williams, CEO and Founder at Blackfog
Leicester City Council has revealed confidential personal data was shared online following a criminal investigation, launched after 7th March, when it was forced to disable its phone and computer systems. As Darren Williams points out below, this serious breach joins other recent local services victims in the UK and highlights the need for action…
“In the last two weeks it’s become evident that INC ransom have clear intent when it comes to targeting local services, with Leicester Council joining the victim list alongside NHS Dumfries and Galloway. The intent of a group like this is clear: to cause maximum distress and disruption, with maximum rewards, at minimal effort. In this attack, 25 documents including personal data such as citizens rent statements, applications to purchase council housing and ID information was exfiltrated and shared online, which can unfortunately lead to extortion and blackmail. To prevent such attacks from happening again, council’s and organisations alike must invest in the latest anti data exfiltration tools to secure their data and prevent ransomware and extortion."
