Legal Aid Agency Cyberattack Exposes Applicant Data

A major cyberattack on the UK's Legal Aid Agency has compromised personal information of individuals who applied for legal aid since 2010, including contact details, addresses, dates of birth, national insurance numbers, criminal records, employment status, and financial data such as debts and payments. The Ministry of Justice discovered the breach on April 23 and later learned the scope was potentially much larger, with attackers claiming access to 2.1 million pieces of data—though this has not been independently verified. The agency's digital services remain offline as a precaution. Officials attribute the breach to longstanding security vulnerabilities and alleged neglect by previous governments. The National Crime Agency, National Cyber Security Centre, and Information Commissioner are investigating, and the Legal Aid Agency has apologized to those affected. Individuals have been urged to remain vigilant for suspicious activity and to update any exposed passwords.