UK Legal Aid Hack Includes ‘Significant Amount’ of Personal Data

It is extremely concerning that members of the public have had their personal data compromised in this cyber security incident and the LAA must get a grip on the situation immediately

Richard Atkinson, president of the Law Society of England and Wales, a professional body that represents solicitors, said

This is at the more serious end of data breaches because of the national insurance numbers, plus criminal records, plus the financial transactions about benefits and employment status

Ciaran Martin, the former chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre, said

I understand this news will be shocking and upsetting for people and I am extremely sorry this has happened

Legal Aid Agency chief executive Jane Harbottle said

Richard Horneagency CEO

We've managed more than 200 incidents since September

Last week Richard Horne, chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre said

When criminal records and other sensitive personal data are exposed, it is not just a matter of IT failure, it’s a breach of trust, privacy, and even safety in this case,

he said

The fragility of the IT system has prevented vital reforms, including updates to the means test that could help millions more access legal aid, and interim payments for firms whose cash flow is being decimated by the backlogs in the courts, through no fault of their own,

Atkinson said

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,

she 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,

said Jane Harbottle, chief executive officer of the Legal Aid Agency

We believe the group has accessed and downloaded a significant amount of personal data from those who applied for legal aid through our digital service since 2010.

An MoJ spokesperson said

This data breach was made possible by the long years of neglect and mismanagement of the justice system under the last government,

the source said

On Friday 16 May we discovered the attack was more extensive than originally understood and that the group behind it had accessed a large amount of information relating to legal aid applicants,

the government said in a statement on Monday

They knew about the vulnerabilities of the Legal Aid Agency digital systems, but did not act,

the source said

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

she said