IT emergencies in local government bring critical aspects of public life to a standstill
Whether it be schools, nurseries, water supply or waste management – local authorities provide essential public services and a wide range of facilities for their citizens. Local authorities and public bodies, in particular, must be able to communicate and take action even in the event of a cyberattack.
Yet the reality is still characterised by long periods of downtime and a breakdown in communication. For instance, Germany is still grappling with the cyberattack on parts of Berlin’s administration in August 2026: two Senate departments lost access to external email communication and the internet, forcing staff to improvise as best they could. For citizens, this meant, amongst other things, that the processing of housing benefit applications ground to a halt for several days. It took around ten days before the affected departments were largely operational again. That means ten days in crisis mode.
Berlin is not an isolated case, but the norm
According to the Association of German Municipalities and Cities, hackers attack local authorities’ IT systems almost daily. This often results in prolonged downtime in German towns and local authorities. In 2022, for example, the administration of the Rhein-Pfalz district had to switch to emergency operations for several months following a cyberattack, and sensitive data was also published on the dark web. In 2023, a cyberattack in North Rhine-Westphalia rendered the IT infrastructure of 70 local authorities inoperable for months. Local government services were disrupted for several weeks.
These incidents highlight the fundamental importance of resilient IT infrastructures for functioning public institutions. And they make it clear that an organisation’s ability to operate depends on whether it can continue to communicate.
We are delighted to discuss with you at the Smart Country Convention (SCCON) in Berlin how the public sector can remain accessible to staff, citizens, partners and institutions even in the event of an IT emergency.
EVAC at the Smart Country Convention: 13 to 15 October 2026
The Smart Country Convention is the leading event on the digitalisation of the public sector. Once again this year, the three-day event will bring together representatives from public administration, politics, the digital economy, associations, start-ups and academia from 13 to 15 October 2026 at the Berlin Exhibition Centre (Berliner Messegelände) to present and discuss visions and solutions for modern public administration, digitised public authorities and connected cities. Finding ways to ensure the public sector remains capable of acting in crisis situations is also a key focus at SCCON: This year’s key topics include resilience, cyber security and digital sovereignty.
More than 23,000 participants are expected this year. You’ll find a packed programme of keynote speeches and workshops, and you’ll have the chance to exchange views with experts on forward-looking topics in digital transformation and make valuable contacts.
Come and visit us at SCCON 2026!
At our Stand No. 431 in Hall 26, we’ll show you what’s essential for a robust business continuity strategy, what you should look out for when choosing a secondary communications platform, and how the switch to an emergency platform works.
Free tickets for SCCON
Admission to the Smart Country Convention is free of charge. Tickets are available exclusively online via the organiser’s ticket shop; there is no on-site box office. → Secure your free ticket for SCCON here!
Arrange a personal chat at the EVAC stand
Would you like to have a chat with us in person? We’d be delighted! We recommend you take the opportunity to book an appointment in advance so you can discuss matters with our Sales Manager, Henrik Heigel, at SCCON. → Book an appointment here under ‘Request meeting’ to book a meeting!
