Douglas Council: 'Emails weren't sent by council leader' but no 'vulnerability' in system

But local authority won't reveal where correspondence about leadership originated

Douglas Council says recent emails about the leadership of the local authority were not sent by the Council Leader – but won’t reveal who it thinks did send them.

It follows correspondence sent to media outlets on the Isle of Man from the email address Cllr.CWells@douglas.gov.im – the official address of Claire Wells.

Manx Radio had asked the local authority to comment on the validity of an email – which was sent to the station on 30 December – which claimed that an emergency meeting had been called.

You can find more details HERE.

It didn’t comment but it’s PR agency, Isle of Man Advertising, which is contracted by the council to provide media services, told the station the email account could have been compromised.

In a statement this evening the council says Mrs Wells did not send the emails and has confirmed no ‘vulnerability’ has been detected in the local authority’s IT system.

Instead the council said: “There has, however, been a case of “email spoofing”, where cybercriminals use deception to appear as another person.

"These spoofed emails have, unfortunately, managed to deceive one of the targeted news providers into believing that a clearly fake email may have actually been genuine or that the council’s system had been allegedly ‘hacked’.

"Following investigation the actual origination of the fake emails has been identified and Douglas Borough Council is receiving advice with a view to taking action.”

The next full meeting of the council will take place next week.