Cyber-attack on Comhairle nan Eilean Siar highlights risks to all councils
Leugh an duilleag seo sa Ghàidhlig
All Scottish councils must learn from the immediate and ongoing impacts of a significant cyber-attack on Comhairle nan Eilean Siar.
The 2023 cyber-attack caused immediate, severe and prolonged disruption, with the impact most significant for the council’s finance team. It caused the near total loss of use of the data held on its servers.
In its report, the Accounts Commission recognises the council took swift action to protect systems and prioritise front-line services and payments to staff and suppliers. But the council’s business continuity plans hadn’t fully anticipated the scale of the attack. Nor had action been taken to address previous weaknesses in IT and cyber governance. Had the council been better prepared, it is possible that the attack’s impact might have been reduced.
Staff continue to work hard to maintain service performance; however, two years on, some services are still recovering and dealing with backlogs. The council must urgently carry out thorough and routine testing of its new response, recovery and business continuity plans.
Jo Armstrong, Chair of the Accounts Commission said:
This cyber-attack shows how exposed local government is, and the urgent need to test resilience and recovery arrangements. Councils need to assume that it’s a case of when, not if, they are attacked. A collective approach is needed to prepare councils for an increasingly digital future – they must collaborate, learn from each other and work closely with partners, including the Scottish Government.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar staff went above and beyond to mitigate the impacts on service users, suppliers and the local community. This increased pressure on staff as they took on additional work, alongside dealing with day-to-day responsibilities. We want the council to take action to improve how they communicate and support staff during significant events that could increase workload and stress.
Read more and download the report and other information
Ionnsaigh-saidhbeir air Comhairle nan Eilean Siar a’ sealltainn gu bheil cunnartan ann do gach comhairle
27 Samhain 2025
Bu chòir gach comhairle ann an Alba ionnsachadh bhon ionnsaigh-saidhbeir a thugadh air Comhairle nan Eilean Siar a thug buaidh obann agus leantainneach orra.
Dh’adhbhraich an ionnsaigh-saidhbeir ann an 2023 buaireadh luath, dona agus leantainneach leis a’ bhuaidh a bu mhotha air sgioba ionmhais na comhairle. Dh’adhbhraich i call cha mhòr iomlan den dàta a bha air a cumail air na frithealaichean aice.
Anns an aithisg aca, tha Coimisean nan Cunntasan ag aithneachadh gun do ghabh a’ chomhairle ceumannan luath gus siostaman a dhìon agus gus prìomhachas a thoirt do sheirbheisean loidhne-aghaidh agus do phàighidhean do luchd-obrach agus do sholaraichean. Ach cha robh na planaichean leantainneachd gnìomhachais air an dealbhadh airson ionnsaigh cho mòr. Agus cha deach gnìomhan a ghabhail gus dèiligeadh ri laigsean ann an IT agus riaghladh-saidhbeir a chaidh a thoirt fa-near roimhe. Nam biodh a’ chomhairle air a bhith na b’ ullaichte, dh’fhaodte gum biodh seo air buaidh na h-ionnsaigh a lùghdachadh.
Tha luchd-obrach ag obair gu cruaidh fhathast gus ìre coileanaidh nan seirbheisean a chumail suas; ach dà bhliadhna às dèidh na h-ionnsaigh, tha cuid de sheirbheisean fhathast ag ath-shlànachadh agus a’ dèiligeadh ri càirn obrach. Feumaidh a’ chomhairle deuchainnean mionaideach is cunbhalach a dhèanamh air na planaichean freagairt, ath-shlànachaidh agus leantainneachd gnìomhachais ùra aca.
Thuirt Jo Armstrong, Cathraiche Coimisean nan Cunntasan:
Tha an ionnsaigh-saidhbeir seo a’ sealltainn cho fosgailte ’s a tha riaghaltas ionadail do chunnartan mar seo, agus gu bheil feum èiginneach air deuchainnean seasmhachd agus ath-shlànachaidh. Feumaidh comhairlean tuigsinn nach e a’ cheist an tachair ionnsaigh ach cuin a thachras i. Tha feum air dòigh-obrach choitcheann gus comhairlean a deisealachadh airson àm ri teachd a tha a’ sìor fhàs didseatach – feumaidh iad co-obrachadh, ionnsachadh bho chèile agus obrachadh gu dlùth le com-pàirtichean, Riaghaltas na h-Alba nam measg.
Rinn luchd-obrach Comhairle nan Eilean Siar an dìcheall gus a’ bhuaidh air luchd-cleachdaidh, solaraichean agus air a’ choimhearsnachd ionadail a lùghdachadh. Chuir seo cuideam a bharrachd air luchd-obrach agus iad a’ gabhail obair a bharrachd os làimh, a bharrachd air a bhith a’ dèiligeadh ris na dleastanasan làitheil aca. Tha sinn airson ’s gun gabh a’ chomhairle ceuman gus piseach a thoirt air conaltradh le, agus taic do, luchd-obrach ro thachartasan mòra a dh’fhaodadh cur ri uallach obrach agus streas.
Leugh barrachd agus luchdaich a-nuas an aithisg agus fiosrachadh eile
