The Suva City Council (SCC) is preparing to implement a comprehensive update of its data systems.

SCC chairman Tevita Boseiwaqa announced that plans for a new system was already in motion, with implementation expected within three weeks.

“Our systems at the moment are about more than 12 years old, we set this up in 2012,” Mr Boseiwaqa said.

“So, the new system that we have really integrated a lot of features, security features, and also the new setup will also be able to handle a lot of what we’re going through right now (cyber attack).

“But the fact is that because our systems were so old, and our applications were so old that, you know, the newer, the latest platforms, even the antiviruses could not be loaded on our systems.”

In addition, the council has initiated a five-year digital transformation roadmap aimed at modernising its infrastructure.

This includes refreshing hardware, as many devices still operate on outdated platforms, such as Windows 7.

He said the council’s commitment to digitalisation aligns with its goal of becoming a smart city.

“An annual budget for the next five years has been approved to support this initiative.

“Recently, SCC met with a team from the United Nations to discuss smart city concepts.”

Mr Boseiwaqa stated that the attack served as a crucial lesson for the council and other organisations facing similar threats.

“We (SCC) are open to improvement and is taking proactive steps to enhance its cybersecurity measures and overall digital capabilities.”