Computer systems at Leeds City Council will be upgraded as part of a £300,000 contract to prevent cyber attacks.
The local authority stated that its existing firewall technology was reaching the end of its life and required replacement to manage security risks. A council report confirmed that Khipu Networks, from Fleet, Hampshire, would be appointed to install updated protections against data breaches.
The report stated: “The council is reliant on council services being available. A cyber attack has the potential for all council services to be rendered inoperable. If the firewalls were not replaced before the end of their supported lifespan there is the likelihood of them being compromised by an attacker. By ensuring that firewalls are in place, the council is mitigating the risk of any breach of compromise.”
Risks identified by the council included attackers obtaining personal data, which could lead to financial penalties from the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Other local authorities recently affected by cyber breaches include Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster City Council and the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham – all in the South of England.
According to the report: “Firewall technology protects an organisation by monitoring and controlling network traffic between trusted internal systems and untrusted external networks.” The contract to be awarded to Khipu, a specialist cyber security firm, is valued at just over £313,000 over a three-year period. The report concluded: “This technology prevents cyber exploitation of the council’s systems and data and is required to replace existing end-of-life firewall devices.”
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