A criminal group, known as Mespinoza, claims to have published documents stolen from Hackney Council on the dark web.
The council was hit by cyber attack last October which brought the local housing market to a near stand still as the council recovered from the impact of having its systems severely disrupted.
It was later revealed that it was a ransomware attack; a scenario in which a criminal will send software, usually via email, which when opened encrypts data and files rendering them unusable.
A cabinet member for planning Cllr Guy Nicholson said the hack had disrupted services, including the ability of the council to process land search requests for those buying property. Experts have said the published data was ‘limited’ and ‘not visible through search engines’.
Mayor Philip Glanville said the attack had been “utterly deplorable”, He adds:
“While we believe this publication will not directly affect the vast majority of Hackney’s residents and businesses, we are sorry for the worry and upset this will cause them.”
