Multiple London councils investigate cyberattack affecting shared IT systems

Several London councils, including the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) and Westminster City Council (WCC), have reported a cyberattack that may have put residents’ data at risk. The councils, which share some IT systems, noticed the incident on Monday and have informed the Information Commissioner’s Office, a standard step when potential data breaches occur. RBKC stated that specialist cyber experts and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) are assisting in protecting systems, restoring functionality, and maintaining critical public services. Graeme Stewart from Check Point described the intrusion as serious, citing signs such as offline borough systems, exposed shared infrastructure, and urgent internal warnings. The councils also share IT services with Hammersmith and Fulham Council, which may have also been affected. RBKC confirmed that multiple systems were impacted and staff were monitoring communication channels to assist residents. The exact cause and perpetrators remain unknown, and the councils are actively investigating whether data was compromised. Officials emphasized that rapid service shutdowns were precautionary to prevent potential data theft or ransomware attacks. Given the sensitive information held by local authorities, including social care, identity, and housing records, the incident is being treated as high-risk. The NCSC and Metropolitan Police are involved, reflecting the seriousness of the situation.