Housing register still down weeks after cyber attack

Greater Manchester councils were targeted at the start of August

A council housing register remains suspended weeks after it fell victim to a cyber attack, leaving thousands of residents vulnerable to a phishing scam.

Salford City Council’s housing register is still down after a "cyber breach" on 2 August which left 5,200 people without access.

Salford Home Search users have said they have not been able to use the system since, with one user saying the register was the "only way we can get a home".

The local authority said the problem has been addressed, and the housing register would be back up and running soon.

A 42-year-old named Pre, who did not want use his surname, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he was living in temporary accommodation and looking for a permanent home on Salford Home Search after previously being on the streets.

He added: “It’s the only way we can get a home at the moment, I have to go through Salford Home Search.

“But I’m not able to access it and there’s been no alternative.”

'Intensive testing'

The cyber attack earlier this month also hit housing registers in Manchester and Bolton, with users told to monitor their bank accounts for suspicious activity.

They were also told to change any passwords that were the same as the one used to access Salford Home Search.

Salford City Council apologised after the incident, which it said came from a “vulnerability in the third party software suppliers website.”

A council spokeswoman said the software behind Salford Home Search was managed and maintained by a third party company and the issues had affected other councils nationally.

“The company has now announced that the problem has been identified and addressed, after some intensive testing," she said.

“This means the council can start to use the software again and we will bring the website back online soon.”