A recent cyber attack may have exposed the data of residents and staff. Register your interest to stay informed and receive updates if this claim is taken forward by one of our partner law firms.
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Overview
In January 2025, hackers accessed Gateshead Council’s systems and stole personal data. The Medusa ransomware group has since claimed responsibility for the cyberattack. Worryingly, some of the information stolen in the Gateshead Council data breach has now been posted on a data leak site.
The stolen data is said to include full names, email addresses, home and mobile phone numbers, home addresses, and employment histories. In addition, Medusa says it also has records relating to adult social carers and individuals’ eligibility for public housing. The consequences could be devastating if this information is used for scams and other nefarious purposes
Lawyers are taking legal action on behalf of those affected by the Gateshead Council data breach.
We are monitoring the situation closely. Register your interest and we’ll keep you updated if one of our regulated UK partner law firms is able to take this claim forward.
Gateshead Council breach – At a glance
What do we know about the Gateshead Council data breach?
Residents and staff are both affected by the Gateshead Council data breach.
Gateshead Council has warned people to watch out for phishing emails or fraudulent activity.
Medusa demanded a $600,000 ransom payment to delete the data. But even if paid, there is no guarantee the hackers would keep their promise.
This is not the first time Gateshead Council has experienced a data breach. This has led some data protection experts to question why security breaches are still happening at the local authority.
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Latest updates on the Gateshead Council data breach
15 January 2025
Ransomware group Medusa posted documents it claims to have stolen from the Council on its data leak site. Gateshead Council subsequently confirmed the breach and said the police were investigating the incident.
8 January 2025
Hackers gained access to Gateshead Council’s systems and stole personally identifiable information (PII) belonging to employees and residents.
We’ll provide more updates on this case as they occur.
Who could be affected by the Gateshead Council Data Breach?
If you are a resident or staff, your data might have been breached.
Register to stay updated and we’ll let you know if a partner law firm takes this claim forward.
Gateshead Council data breach FAQs
In the early hours of January 8, 2025, Gateshead Council was targeted by a cyberattack. Investigations have revealed that some personal data was accessed by unauthorised individuals.
The Medusa ransomware group claimed responsibility for the attack. They demanded a ransom of $600,000 to delete the stolen data, threatening to release it publicly if their demands were not met.
The specific details of the compromised data have not been fully disclosed. However, it has been reported that the stolen information includes personal identifiers such as full names, email addresses, phone numbers, home addresses, and employment histories. Both residents and public sector staff appear to be affected by the leak.
If you think your data was compromised you should:
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