The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) was hacked. 2.1 million pieces of data on people who applied to the Legal Aid Agency

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has said hackers accessed and downloaded a "significant amount of personal data" of people who applied to the Legal Aid Agency, including criminal records.

The group that carried out the cyber-attack says it accessed 2.1 million pieces of data, but the MoJ has not verified that figure; it is understood.

A MoJ source blamed the breach on the previous government's "neglect and mismanagement," saying vulnerabilities in the Legal Aid Agency systems have been known for many years.

The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is an executive agency sponsored by the MoJ that administers legal aid funding, which was around £2.3bn in 2023/24.

The data accessed affected those who applied for legal aid in the last 15 years. It may include the contact details and addresses of legal aid applicants, their dates of birth, national insurance numbers, criminal history, employment status, and financial data such as contribution amounts, debts, and payments.

The MoJ has urged anyone who applied for legal aid since 2010 to update any passwords that could have been exposed and be alert to unknown messages and phone calls.

Legal Aid Agency chief executive Jane Harbottle has apologised for the breach and acknowledged the news would be "shocking and upsetting”. 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,"
• "However, it has become clear that we needed to take radical action to safeguard the service and its users. That is why we've decided to take the online service down," she said.

Ms Harbottle said contingency plans are in place for those who need legal support and advice.

A Law Society spokesperson said

• "The incident again demonstrates the need for sustained investment to bring the LAA's antiquated IT system up to date and ensure the public has continued trust in the justice system."
• The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is working with the National Crime Agency and National Cyber Security Centre to investigate the data breach.
• The National Crime Agency said it was aware of the incident and was working closely with the MoJ to "better understand the incident and support the department".

It comes after retailers Co-op, Harrods, and Marks & Spencer were hit by cyberattacks, although there is no suggestion that they are connected to the incident at the LAA.

Source

https://news.sky.com/story/cyber-attack-on-legal-aid-agency-exposed-significant-data-including-criminal-records-13370828