data breach
Councils are managing recovery from cyber attacks and preparing to notify residents about data breaches, while addressing ongoing security risks.
Kensington and Chelsea Council is preparing to notify affected residents about a data breach following a cyber attack in November 2025, with recovery efforts on track to restore all systems by Summer 2026. The council's Overview & Scrutiny Committee received an update in July 2026, noting 94% of systems are back online, though service backlogs are expected to be cleared by December 2026.
Hammersmith and Fulham Council continues to face a high risk of cyber attacks after its IT systems were compromised in November 2025, leading to a disconnection from finance, payroll, and HR systems until mid-January 2026. A report to the Audit Committee in March 2026 identified IT system compromise due to cyber-attacks as a key risk.
A data breach is an incident where sensitive or confidential information is accessed or disclosed without authorisation. Waltham Forest Council logged 173 suspected data breach incidents for investigation in the 12 months to July 2025, with five requiring mandatory reporting to the Information Commissioner's Office.
Key facts
- Kensington and Chelsea Council is preparing to notify affected residents about a data breach. Source
- Kensington and Chelsea Council's recovery from a November 2025 cyber attack is on track. Source
- Hammersmith and Fulham Council's IT systems were compromised in a cyber incident in November 2025. Source
- Hammersmith and Fulham Council faces a high risk of cyber attacks. Source
- Waltham Forest Council logged 173 suspected data breach incidents in the 12 months to July 2025. Source
About this summary
This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 30 September 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.