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Local Newsby Ed Barnes – Local Democracy Reporter10 minutes ago
Greater Manchester is facing daily attacks as hackers from across the world try to gain access to crucial information, security bosses for the region have said (Image – LDRS)
Greater Manchester is facing daily attacks as hackers from across the world try to gain access to crucial information, top security bosses for the region have said.
A new report from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) said the region is in a ‘hostile threat landscape’ and is facing major risks from cybercriminals and other countries.
Published ahead of an audit meeting on September 21, the report said attackers are actively trying to disrupt Greater Manchester’s emergency services, spread disinformation, and interfere with democracy. Ransomware is deemed to be the most serious cyber threat facing UK organisations.
Ransomware is where a hacker takes over someone’s device or files and does not give it back until a financial payment is made. Threats can also be made to release the data hacked into.
According to the report, hacking threats come from groups linked to countries such as Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. The report also says the Russian-aligned group NoName057(16) has ‘made frequent attempts against UK local government’.
It is not just local government under attack. A data security incident at Manchester Airport Group in August meant criminal hackers got hold of customer data, though a spokesperson said at the time that the airport group ‘immediately contained the risk’ and took ‘appropriate steps to protect customers and systems’.
In recent years, the GMCA said it has spent around £1.2m ‘strengthening cyber resilience’, covering monitoring and detection, incident response, vulnerability management and penetration testing. The GMCA has also made fixed-term cyber roles into permanent jobs in a sign of the growing need for experts keeping the region safe.
Presenting the report, Paul Wilkinson, the GMCA’s Assistant Director for Digital Solutions, said: “We are attacked daily, possibly hourly”, adding: “We are under attack as we speak and we are very much relying on the defences that we have in place.” However he said incidents have been limited.
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Responding to questions from councillors, officers said the biggest risk of a security breach came from phishing. This is a type of cyberattack where fake messages are used to trick people into sharing personal details, passwords, or money.
The audit committee also heard the GMCA is beefing up security checks with its suppliers to minimise any potential risks with contractors and a dedicated cyber group, working with the region’s ten different councils, is being considered to strengthen defences.
With mounting concerns around the threats posed by artificial intelligence (AI), Mr Wilkinson said the organisation would be looking to make sure staff did not use systems that could pose a security risk. He said: “As with everything, there is room for improvement but it feels like we have made some progress.”
Closing the meeting, chair Grenville Page said: “This is a risk that isn’t going away and it’s only going to get more challenging.”
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