Jane Harbottle, CEO of the Legal Aid Agency – which is used by lawyers who provide their services to clients through Government-funded legal aid – said the agency’s online digital services have been taken down temporarily after an attack in April was found to be more serious than first realised.
Harbottle said a large amount of customer data may have been accessed.
She said: “This data may have included contact details and addresses of applicants, their dates of birth, national ID numbers, criminal history, employment status and financial data such as contribution amounts, debts and payments.
“I understand this news will be shocking and upsetting for people and I am extremely sorry this has happened.”
Users urged to take steps
Harbottle said those who have applied for legal aid since 2010 may have had their data breached, with the group behind the attack having accessed a “significant amount” of data.
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The online digital service that was hacked was used by legal aid providers to log their work and receive payment from the Government, so there was a large amount of consumer data available.
Harbottle said: “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.
“If you are in doubt about anyone you are communicating with online or over the phone, you should verify their identity independently before providing any information to them.”
Contingencies in place
The Legal Aid Service said it has 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”, and added that there would be further updates shortly.
Legal aid providers will be given phone numbers or email addresses to contact for the next few weeks, rather than using a portal, while software developers scramble to develop a new system.
A spate of cyber attacks
The legal aid service is one of a number of high-profile companies and organisations that have fallen victim to cyber attacks in recent months. Others have included M&S, which still has not returned to offering online shopping after an attack, and Co-op, which said it was returning to normal at the weekend after an attack that left supermarket shelves bare.
