Hackers strike UK’s legal aid agency and compromise data of lawyers and clients

LONDON AP Britain s justice department noted Monday that it shut down online services for legal aid recipients and the lawyers paid to help them after a cyberattack compromised personal information including criminal records national insurance numbers and payment details The Ministry of Justice noted it learned on April that online digital services at the Legal Aid Agency had been hacked but realized Friday that it was more extensive than it had known I understand this news will be shocking and upsetting for people and I am extremely sorry this has happened commented Jane Harbottle chief executive of Legal Aid To safeguard the operation and its users we needed to take radical action That is why we ve taken the decision to take the online system down Hackers claimed they had access to million pieces of details though the cabinet did not confirm that figure The agency provides civil and criminal legal assistance to those who can t afford a lawyer The online system is used by providers to log work to get paid A major amount of personal facts going back years was exposed by the breach including addresses of people applying for legal help birth dates criminal history employment status and financial information the ministry explained The National Crime Agency and the National Cyber Precaution Centre have been working with the agency since the intrusion Richard Atkinson president of the Law Society of England and Wales announced the had drawn attention to the need to update the agency s antiquated information system 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 commented If it is now also proving vulnerable to cyber attack further delay is untenable Source