Thousands hit by Legal Aid data breach, MoJ reveals

The Ministry of Justice said a cyber attack on the Legal Aid Agency last month compromised the sensitive personal data of thousands of legal aid applicants in England and Wales.

 

On May 19, in a press release, the Ministry of Justice said that on April 23, it became aware of a significant data security incident affecting Legal Aid Agency’s online digital services. The agency immediately launched an investigation, with assistance from cyber security experts, to determine the nature and scope of the incident.

 

LAA also notified the National Crime Agency, National Cyber Security Centre and the  Information Commissioner Office about the incident.

 

On May 16, MoJ said that the data security incident was more extensive than initially anticipated. Hackers have accessed and stole a large amount of personal data related to legal aid applicants using the digital service since 2010.

 

The compromised data included contact details and addresses of applicants, dates of birth, national ID numbers, criminal history, employment status and financial data such as contribution amounts, debts and payments. 

 

“We would urge all members of the public who have applied for legal aid in this time period to take steps to safeguard themselves. We would recommend you are alert for any suspicious activity such as unknown messages or phone calls and to be extra vigilant to update any potentially exposed passwords,” MoJ added.

 

Commenting on the news, Jane Harbottle, CEO of the Legal Aid Agency, said, “Since the discovery of the attack, my team has been working around the clock with the National Cyber Security Centre to bolster the security of our systems so we can safely continue the vital work of the agency.

 

“However, it has become clear that to safeguard the service and its users, we need to take radical action. That is why we’ve taken the decision to take the online service down.

 

“We have put in place the necessary contingency plans to ensure those most in need of legal support and advice can continue to access the help they need during this time,” Harbottle added.