Latest news with #JaneHarbottle
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hackers strike UK's legal aid agency and compromise data of lawyers and clients
LONDON (AP) — Britain's justice department said 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 said it learned on April 23 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," said Jane Harbottle, chief executive of Legal Aid. '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." Hackers claimed they had access to 2.1 million pieces of data, though the government 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 'significant amount of personal data' going back 15 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 said. The National Crime Agency and the National Cyber Security Centre have been working with the agency since the intrusion. Richard Atkinson, president of the Law Society of England and Wales, said the had drawn attention to the need to update the agency's antiquated information technology. '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. 'If it is now also proving vulnerable to cyber attack, further delay is untenable." The Associated Press
Associated Press
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Hackers strike UK's legal aid agency and compromise data of lawyers and clients
LONDON (AP) — Britain's justice department said 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 said it learned on April 23 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,' said Jane Harbottle, chief executive of Legal Aid. '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.' Hackers claimed they had access to 2.1 million pieces of data, though the government 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 'significant amount of personal data' going back 15 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 said. The National Crime Agency and the National Cyber Security Centre have been working with the agency since the intrusion. Richard Atkinson, president of the Law Society of England and Wales, said the had drawn attention to the need to update the agency's antiquated information technology. '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. 'If it is now also proving vulnerable to cyber attack, further delay is untenable.'
The Independent
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Ministry of Justice reveals what was compromised in Legal Aid cyberattack
Millions of pieces of personal data, including criminal records, national insurance numbers, employment status and financial data, were stolen from Legal Aid applicants in a cyberattack on the Legal Aid Agency (LAA). The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) confirmed the breach, which affected data from applicants since 2010, and attributed it to "neglect and mismanagement" by the previous government. The LAA's online services have been taken offline to protect user data, and the MoJ is working with the National Cyber Security Centre and National Crime Agency to investigate. LAA chief executive Jane Harbottle apologised for the breach and assured the public that contingency plans are in place to ensure continued access to Legal Aid services. The Law Society called for immediate action and investment to update the LAA's outdated IT system, highlighting the vulnerability of Legal Aid firms and the need for continued public trust in the justice system.
TimesLIVE
19-05-2025
- Business
- TimesLIVE
Personal data taken in UK legal aid cyberattack
A 'significant' amount of personal data, including criminal records, of applicants who had applied for legal aid since 2010 was accessed and stolen in a cyberattack, Britain's Legal Aid Agency said on Monday. It said it became aware of the attack on April 23 and had worked with the National Crime Agency since. On Friday it discovered the attack had been more extensive than originally understood and the attackers had accessed information relating to legal aid applicants, forcing it to shut down its online services. The agency said the group may have accessed applicants' personal information including addresses, dates of birth, national ID numbers and financial data such as contributions amounts, debts and payments. '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, CEO of the Legal Aid Agency. '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.' Harbottle added the agency, which is part of the ministry of justice, had contingency plans in place and those in need of legal support could continue to access help. British retailers Marks and Spencer and Co-op were the target of cyberattacks in April, with hackers impersonating employees while contacting the retailers' IT help desks, according to technology specialist site BleepingComputer. M&S, which had suspended online orders, said earlier this month personal customer information was taken in the ransomware attack, where criminals infiltrate companies' computer systems, encrypt them and demand payment before allowing them to resume control.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cyber attack on Legal Aid Agency exposed 'significant' data, including criminal records
A "significant amount of personal data" of people who applied to the Legal Aid Agency - including criminal records - was accessed and downloaded by hackers, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has said. 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. The government became aware of the incident on 23 April, but realised on Friday it was more extensive than first thought. An MoJ source put the breach down to the "neglect and mismanagement" of the previous government, 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, which is responsible for administering legal aid funding - around £2.3bn in 2023/24. The data accessed affected those who applied for legal aid in the last 15 years, and may include 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. The organisation's digital services, which are used by legal aid providers to log their work and get paid, have been taken offline. 'We needed to take radical action' Legal Aid Agency chief executive Jane Harbottle has apologised for the breach and acknowledged the news would be "shocking and upsetting". "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," she 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. Ms Harbottle said contingency plans are in place for those who need legal support and advice. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said it 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 cyber attacks, although there is no suggestion that they are connected to the incident at the LAA.
