Three West London councils are struggling with significant disruption to IT systems and phone lines after a cyberattack on a shared services provider, which officials are publicly describing only as an “IT incident”.
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC), Westminster City Council (WCC), and Hammersmith and Fulham Council have all been affected.
According to statements from RBKC, the issue was first acknowledged on Tuesday evening, November 25.
When the council confirmed it was “responding to a cyber security issue” and working with its partners to investigate and restore services.
Cyberattack Disrupts IT and Phone Services
According to cyberplace, the attack disrupted key back-office systems provided through their shared services setup, affecting online services and making it harder for residents to reach the councils.
Local reports say some phone lines and customer services have been going down or running slowly, forcing residents to use limited options or visit council offices in person for urgent needs.
Although the councils haven’t confirmed it as ransomware, experts say the signs point to a ransomware attack affecting a shared IT provider used by several London authorities.
Commentators have noted that describing it as an “IT incident” is a common tactic used early in serious cyber events while investigations and containment are still underway.
The councils say they are working with external cybersecurity specialists and national agencies to understand the scope of the breach, protect data, and bring systems back online safely.
Critical services, such as social care and emergency support, are being prioritised, with manual workarounds in place where digital systems are unavailable.
Residents are being asked to check council websites and official social media for updates, expect delays on phone lines, and use online forms or email when possible.
The full extent of the impact, including any potential data compromise, has not yet been confirmed as the investigation continues.
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