Comhairle nan Eilean Siar in Scotland's Western Isles is still grappling with the aftermath of a ransomware attack that occurred in November 2023, two years later. An audit revealed that the council has not fully rebuilt several critical systems, including those for housing benefits, council tax, and non-domestic rates. The recovery process has been slow due to the large volumes of data involved. Although the council's response to the attack was commendable, significant cybersecurity gaps remain. As of September 2025, only five out of ten recommended improvements had been implemented, leaving key areas like staff training and incident response unaddressed. Staffing issues have compounded the council's struggles. At the time of the attack, five of the 17 IT positions were vacant, which included a senior systems analyst role. The council's IT Health Check was overdue, and its Public Sector Network certification had expired, raising concerns about its preparedness. Employees have faced increased workloads as they work to restore services while dealing with a backlog created by the attack. The direct costs associated with the incident are estimated at £950,000, with the council actively pursuing insurance claims to recoup some of these expenses. Despite the challenges, the council managed to restore its critical HR/payroll system, ResourceLink, by the end of November 2023, ensuring staff did not miss paychecks. They engaged third-party cybersecurity experts for remediation and followed their business continuity plan, although it was not adequately tested for such a severe scenario. The ongoing recovery process highlights the need for local governments to strengthen their cybersecurity measures and prepare for potential future attacks.