The Ransomware Threat to Local Authorities: How to Protect Your People and Your Residents

The Threat to Your Local Authority

Without wishing to resort to malicious scare tactics – we’ll leave the cybercriminals to that – we’ve talked about the Hackney Council cyber-attack in this blog because we want to highlight the ransomware threat to Local Authorities. Each successful cyber-attack on a Local Authority will only encourage hackers to target similar organisations more, as they continue to prove a lucrative route to cash.

But how can we start to think about the threat to your Local Authority in real terms? At Six Degrees, we tend to talk about financial, operational and reputational damage.

• Financial damage. Most obviously, and probably top of many people’s minds, is the financial damage caused by a successful cyber-attack. The Hackney Council cyber-attack prevented the Council from collecting council tax, and will continue to cost the Council thousands in remediation activities.
• Operational damage. Strong engagement with residents – and the robust people, processes and systems that sit behind them – are key to the successful running of any Local Authority. The Hackney Council cyber-attack caused significant operational damage, as the Council was unable to interact with residents and its people were unable to communicate, collaborate and deliver as they usually would.
• Reputational damage. Reputational damage may seem a little more theoretical than financial and operational damage, but it is equally as significant. The Hackney Council cyber-attack caused significant reputational damage, leading residents and associated organisations to question their trust in the Council’s ability to operate and manage their data securely.

One cyber-attack, three kinds of damage. None good at all. So how can you protect your people and your residents?

Further Reading: Our Cyber Intelligence Report provides details of the increased organisational risks related to ransomware during and after pandemic lockdown. The report explains how ransomware is typically deployed, and the factors behind the increased threat level. Download it for free here.

How to Protect Your People and Your Residents

When it comes to protecting your Local Authority’s people and your residents from the negative impact of ransomware, unfortunately there is no magic bullet. At Six Degrees we talk about the need to have ‘defence-in-depth’ by aligning your Local Authority’s people, processes and systems. Here’s what we mean by that:

• Your people. Your people are your first line of cyber defence. When they are trained in cyber security best practices and aware of the latest cyber threats, your people will complement your processes and your systems and manage data in a manner that protects your residents’ personally identifiable information (PII).
• Your processes. Processes are equally as important as the people that follow them. Hackers will look for loopholes in your processes that they can exploit, especially where the appropriate diligence is not paid. Ensure your processes have the right diligence measures built in to prevent hackers exploiting any areas of weakness.
• Your systems. Of course, your systems are an essential element of your Local Authority’s cyber security posture – especially in today’s cloud-based, agile working world. Securely configured and maintained systems are an essential element of your Local Authority’s cyber security posture, reducing your attack surface and minimising risk.

So, how can you protect your people and your residents? Well, we’re sorry we can’t just point you towards an off-the-shelf product that will cover this for you. Cyber security is a journey, but the good news is that – wherever you are on that journey – there are logical steps you can take to minimise the risk of becoming the next high-profile ransomware victim.

If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to reviewing your people, processes and systems, we can help. Our Cyber Security Assessment services enable you to align your cyber security posture to your risk appetite by implementing best practices that will increase your protection against ransomware attacks.

Check them out here. But before you do, a note to finish on Microsoft 365.

Eight Steps to Maximise Microsoft 365 Security

Microsoft 365 has been keeping Local Authorities running in 2020, giving people the tools they need to deliver essential resident services whilst working remotely. But this increased reliance on Microsoft 365 has meant that hackers are targeting it more than ever before to launch ransomware attacks.

Fortunately, your Microsoft 365 licence includes feature-rich, fully-integrated security tools which, when configured properly, can protect your Local Authority from ransomware attacks by preventing hackers from targeting you through the methods we listed above.

In our new infographic we provide eight steps your Local Authority can follow that will help you shield you and your residents from ransomware attacks.