A councillor has voiced his concern about a Russian cyber attack hitting Middlesbrough and other local authorities. Coulby Newham Labour Councillor David Branson raised the worry at a meeting of the council’s audit committee, which took place on Thursday September 25, as he highlighted the need to be prepared for such an event.

Cllr Branson was asking a question in relation to an annual risk report which was being presented to the committee. He was particularly curious about cyber security, a topic about which he said there had been an interesting programme on TV regarding a previous attack on Redcar & Cleveland Council.

He said: “One thing that seems to be fairly clear from these cyber attacks is they are being directed by the Russian state, this is not simply ransomware stuff

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