Portsmouth City Council has confirmed that it is the latest local authority to be targeted by a cyber attack, specifically a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack attributed to a group known as NoName057(16). This incident is part of a broader trend affecting several councils across the UK, including Salford and Middlesbrough.
In a statement released on the authority’s Facebook page, Portsmouth City Council acknowledged the attack and informed residents that their website is currently experiencing issues due to the ongoing cyber incident. “We can confirm that the Portsmouth City Council website is undergoing a cyber attack, which means you will experience issues when trying to use the site,” the statement read.
Despite the disruption, the council reassured the public that no council services were affected and that residents’ data remains secure. “No council services are affected by the attack, and user and residents’ data are not at risk, however, the website may be for an unknown period,” the statement continued. The council has emphasized that it is working diligently to resolve the issue and apologized for any inconvenience caused to the community.
While the website issues persist, the council has assured residents that its teams are still available to respond to queries during regular working hours. Furthermore, residents can continue to access online services and make payments through the MyPortsmouth website, which remains operational.
This week has seen a spate of cyber attacks on various councils. Salford, Bury, and Trafford councils reported temporary disruptions to their websites, although they have since returned to normal operations. Middlesbrough Council’s website was taken offline on Wednesday after its IT department identified problems related to the cyber attack.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has provided guidance to the affected councils, acknowledging the challenges posed by such attacks. A spokesperson for the NCSC stated, “Whilst DDoS attacks are relatively low in sophistication and impact, they can cause disruption by preventing legitimate users from accessing online services.”
As cyber threats continue to pose challenges for local authorities, Portsmouth City Council and others remain on high alert. Authorities are urged to bolster their cybersecurity measures in light of these recent incidents, ensuring that essential services and resident data remain protected. As investigations into the attacks proceed, the focus remains on restoring full functionality and safeguarding against future threats.
