Oxford Council Officers’ Personal Data Breached
Oxford City Council has confirmed a significant data breach affecting current and former employees, with personal information potentially compromised over two decades. The cyberattack occurred during the weekend of June 7-8, 2025, though automated security measures quickly contained the intrusion and limited access to systems.
Investigations revealed that legacy systems containing historical data were breached, specifically impacting individuals involved in council-administered elections between 2001 and 2022. This includes poll workers, ballot counters, and other staff members. While the council emphasized there’s no evidence of data being shared externally or mass downloads, those affected have been notified directly.
The authority has yet to disclose the exact nature of the exposed data but confirmed reporting the incident to government regulators and law enforcement. A thorough review is underway to determine the full scope of the breach and whether any information was extracted.
Service disruptions followed as cybersecurity specialists temporarily shut down key systems for inspection, causing delays in council operations for over a week. Most services have since been restored, with officials apologizing for the inconvenience while assuring residents that email and digital platforms remain secure.
(Source: InfoSecurity Magazine)
