Cyber criminals view local government as a ‘lucrative target,' the Local Government Association's annual conference has heard.

Deputy director for critical national infrastructure at the National Cyber Security Centre, Marsha Quallo-Wright, issued the warning at a session today.

She said an attack on a local authority ‘can lead to huge disruption' and urged attacked councils not to pay ransoms to criminals.

Also speaking in the session, deputy director in the Cabinet Office, Chantal McEwan, said: ‘You really need to be more vigilant and aware of what's going on. It's not just the techy people who need to think about cyber anymore.'

The session also heard from Jon McGinty, managing director of Gloucester City Council, which refused to pay the demanded ransom after being hit by a cyber attack from Russian hackers in December 2021.

Mr McGinty said: ‘It's been a long slog. It is a very long road to recovery. The recovery is long and slow.

‘You never want this to happen to you and the chances are it will happen to you.

‘It's a constant and ever-evolving battle between the hackers and the defenders.'