The Hutt City Council, located in the north island of New Zealand, reportedly suffered a phishing incident in March, leading to the identity data of five people and the financial information of as many as 732 people being exposed.
“We are sorry we did not handle this data with sufficient care, and we acknowledge the concern this has caused. We unreservedly apologise to anyone affected by this attack. Any exposure of personal information is not acceptable,” the council said in a statement.
“All affected individuals have now been contacted directly about this phishing attack, and steps they need to take in response.”
The council took the statement as an opportunity to discuss the importance of strong security, particularly as cyber attacks have evolved through the use of AI.
“What this incident has reinforced is that being vigilant and guarding against cyber security incidents, and reporting issues quickly, is more important than ever,” the council said.
“As criminals use AI to carry out more frequent and sophisticated attacks, they can automate scams, avoid detection, and adapt to security measures. This makes strong monitoring, quick response, and clear reporting essential to protect our systems.
“We take the protection of personal information seriously and have acted promptly to address this incident. Additional safeguards have been put in place, and system security strengthened to protect council information and prevent any further attack of this nature.”
Hutt City Council said it had bolstered protections, including improved security settings, increased monitoring, and further staff training, to prevent a repeat incident.
The council did not disclose who was behind the incident, nor has Cyber Daily observed anyone claiming responsibility for the phishing attack.
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