Multiple London councils report disruption amid ongoing cyberattack

At least three London councils are responding to an ongoing cyberattack, prompting officials to shut down their networks and phone lines and activate emergency plans.

The local government authorities covering the London boroughs of Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster, which share IT systems as part of a joint arrangement, said their focus was “on protecting systems and data, restoring systems, and maintaining critical services to the public.”

Hammersmith & Fulham council is also affected by the cyberattack, per its website.

The councils, which provide public services like housing, social services, and rubbish collection, did not describe the nature of the cyberattack or blame a particular hacking group. They noted that an investigation into whether data was stolen remains ongoing.

Kensington’s website said the cause of the cyberattack is “now established,” but the council “will not be giving out further details of the incident at this stage” due to an ongoing investigation with U.K. law enforcement agencies.