St Helens Council in Merseyside hit by suspected ransomware attack

St. Helens Borough Council has reportedly fallen victim to a suspected ransomware attack. The responsible threat actor behind this incident remains undisclosed but the attack has disrupted several systems within the council’s IT infrastructure, although most of its customer-facing systems seem to be operational.

Comprehensive details regarding the cyber attack have not yet surfaced. However, the council has confirmed that its IT teams initially detected the intrusion two days ago, on Monday. Since then, the council has enlisted external cybersecurity experts and forensic investigators to delve deeper into the matter.

The council is advising residents to exercise caution regarding their online safety and to be vigilant regarding any suspicious communications that may claim to originate from the council. This cautionary advice suggests the possibility that personal data, including contact information, may have been compromised during the cyber attack. Nevertheless, it’s important to note that this remains unconfirmed as of the time of writing.

A council spokesperson said: “We are currently dealing with a suspected ransomware incident on the council’s IT systems and networks. We have now put in place a number of security measures to keep our IT networks running safely. We are continuing to provide council services via our website. Some internal systems to the council are currently being affected due to the actions we have put in place to prevent any further impact, and whilst a full investigation is undertaken. Please be reassured that together with our cyber security specialists we are working to resolve this incident, but obviously, this is a very complex and evolving situation.” 

St. Helens is home to approximately 180,000 residents and is one of the six local government districts within the Liverpool City Region. It encompasses a blend of suburban and rural areas, including the towns of Haydock, Newton-le-Willows, and St. Helens itself, renowned for its Rugby League team of the same name.