More online services restored after Gloucester Council cyber attack
The city council was targeted by hackers on 22 December 2021
Gloucester City Council is restarting the processing of land charge searches which house buyers often need to buy a property in the city.
The council has not been able to process searches since December due to a cyber attack which knocked out many of its online services.
People looking to move home in the city have been prevented from doing so because of this issue.
However, council leaders now say this particular service has been restored.
It’s expected that it could take around five weeks to process the current backlog, which will be tackled in the order that applications were submitted.
The council says its officers will be working hard to clear the applications as quickly as possible and new applications will now be accepted.
Council leader Richard Cook (C, Kingsway) said: “We’re pleased to be able to announce that we’re once again able to provide this very important service which we know is vital to many of our residents.
“We’d like to thank people for their understanding and reassure them that we’re doing everything we can to process any applications which we have previously received.”
The cyber attack which breached the council’s IT systems on December 20, 2021, has been linked to hackers operating out of Russia.
The council is in the process of rebuilding all of its computer servers and opposition councillors fear the total recovery cost will be in the millions of pounds.