ISO 27001 Certificate
SOC 1 Type I Certificate
SOC 2 Type II Certificate
PCI DSS
HIPAA
RGPD
Internal validation & live display
Multiple badges & continuous verification
Faster underwriting decisions
ISOSOC2 Type 1SOC2 Type 2PCI DSSHIPAAGDPR

The Legal Aid Agency provides both civil and criminal legal aid and advice in England and Wales. Our work is essential to the fair, effective and efficient operation of the civil and criminal justice systems. We are a delivery organisation which commissions and procures legal aid services from providers (solicitors, barristers and the not-for-profit sector). The Legal Aid Agency is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. It came into existence on 1 April 2013 following the abolition of the Legal Services Commission as a result of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Act 2012. The Act created the new statutory office of the Director of Legal Casework. The Director will take decisions on the funding of individual cases. Processes have been put in place to ensure the Legal Aid Agency is able to demonstrate independence of decision-making. There will be an annual report published about these decisions.

The Legal Aid Agency A.I CyberSecurity Scoring

LAA

Company Details

Linkedin ID:

the-legal-aid-agency

Employees number:

354

Number of followers:

18,588

NAICS:

5411

Industry Type:

Legal Services

Homepage:

justice.gov.uk

IP Addresses:

0

Company ID:

THE_1520505

Scan Status:

In-progress

AI scoreLAA Risk Score (AI oriented)

Between 750 and 799

https://images.rankiteo.com/companyimages/the-legal-aid-agency.jpeg
LAA Legal Services
Updated:
  • Powered by our proprietary A.I cyber incident model
  • Insurance preferes TPRM score to calculate premium
globalscoreLAA Global Score (TPRM)

XXXX

https://images.rankiteo.com/companyimages/the-legal-aid-agency.jpeg
LAA Legal Services
  • Instant access to detailed risk factors
  • Benchmark vs. industry & size peers
  • Vulnerabilities
  • Findings

LAA Company CyberSecurity News & History

Past Incidents
5
Attack Types
2
EntityTypeSeverityImpactSeenBlog DetailsIncident DetailsView
UK Legal Aid AgencyBreach10046/2010
Rankiteo Explanation :
Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks

Description: The UK Legal Aid Agency suffered a major cyberattack, resulting in the theft of significant sensitive data, including criminal records dating back to 2010. The attack is believed to have stolen a substantial amount of data, potentially affecting 2.1 million records. The stolen data includes highly sensitive personal details of legal aid applicants, such as contact information, dates of birth, national identification numbers, criminal histories, employment statuses, and financial data. The attack also compromised information related to barristers, solicitors, and various organizations working with the Legal Aid Agency. As a result, the agency's online digital services have been taken offline.

Legal Aid Agency (Ministry of Justice, UK)Cyber Attack10056/2010
Rankiteo Explanation :
Attack threatening the organization's existence

Description: Hackers breached the **Legal Aid Agency’s online platform**, accessing and exfiltrating a **massive trove of sensitive personal data** from over **2 million legal aid applicants** (2010–present) in England and Wales. The compromised data includes **full names, contact details, dates of birth, national ID numbers, criminal histories, employment status, and financial records** (debts, payments, contributions). The attackers, engaged in **data extortion**, threatened to **publish the data online**, posing severe risks to vulnerable individuals—such as domestic violence survivors whose safety depends on confidentiality. Despite a **legal injunction** against distribution, the anonymity of the hackers (likely operating from hostile jurisdictions) renders enforcement ineffective. The agency **shut down its online service** to contain the breach, disrupting critical public legal services. The incident underscores systemic vulnerabilities in **non-CNI public services**, where data leaks can have **life-threatening consequences** (e.g., exposed addresses enabling physical harm).

Legal Aid Agency (LAA)Cyber Attack10056/2010
Rankiteo Explanation :
Attack threatening the organization’s existence

Description: The UK Ministry of Justice (MoJ) confirmed that hackers accessed a **large volume of sensitive personal data** from the **Legal Aid Agency’s (LAA) digital services**, potentially exposing records of **millions of applicants** since 2010. Compromised data includes **contact details, national ID numbers, criminal records, employment status, and financial information** (debts, payments, contributions). The breach was detected on **April 23**, but its full scale—spanning **14 years of legal aid applications**—was only realized on **May 16**. The attack forced the LAA to **shut down its online platform**, disrupting legal aid services for vulnerable individuals (e.g., those facing criminal charges, debt, or family disputes). Authorities, including the **NCSC, NCA, and ICO**, are investigating, while affected users are warned of **fraud, identity theft, and phishing risks**. The breach raises concerns over **UK public sector cybersecurity resilience** and potential **regulatory/legal repercussions** for data protection failures.

Ministry of Justice (UK)Breach60310/2025
Rankiteo Explanation :
Attack with significant impact with internal employee data leaks

Description: A report by NordPass and NordStellar revealed that **3,014 passwords** belonging to UK civil servants—including those from the **Ministry of Justice (MoJ)**—were exposed on the dark web. The MoJ was the **most affected institution**, with **36 unique exposed passwords**, many of which were **weak, reused, or easily guessable** (e.g., *'12345678'* or *'password'*). The breach stemmed from poor cyber hygiene, including password recycling across accounts and failure to enforce strong authentication policies. The exposure poses **significant risks** not only to the MoJ’s internal operations but also to **national security**, as compromised credentials could enable unauthorized access to sensitive government systems. Civil servants’ accounts, if hijacked, might facilitate **phishing attacks, data leaks, or lateral movement into broader public infrastructure**. The incident underscores systemic vulnerabilities in **public-sector cybersecurity**, where weak password practices jeopardize both **employee data and citizen trust**. While no direct data theft was confirmed, the **potential for escalation**—such as targeted attacks on justice systems or exploitation of administrative privileges—remains high. The report urges **mandatory password managers, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and regular credential rotation** to mitigate future risks.

Ministry of Justice UKBreach100503/2022
Rankiteo Explanation :
Attack threatening the organization's existence

Description: The employee’s sensitive personal data of UK Ministry of Justice was compromised in an unauthorized access gained to the servers of Justice Academy, an online learning platform used by MoJ. The compromised information includes full name, staff identification information, email address, national insurance number, and details of where they work and with which department or agency. MoJ has reported about 2,152 data breaches and several cyber incidents in the 12 months.

UK Legal Aid Agency
Breach
Severity: 100
Impact: 4
Seen: 6/2010
Blog:
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks

Description: The UK Legal Aid Agency suffered a major cyberattack, resulting in the theft of significant sensitive data, including criminal records dating back to 2010. The attack is believed to have stolen a substantial amount of data, potentially affecting 2.1 million records. The stolen data includes highly sensitive personal details of legal aid applicants, such as contact information, dates of birth, national identification numbers, criminal histories, employment statuses, and financial data. The attack also compromised information related to barristers, solicitors, and various organizations working with the Legal Aid Agency. As a result, the agency's online digital services have been taken offline.

Legal Aid Agency (Ministry of Justice, UK)
Cyber Attack
Severity: 100
Impact: 5
Seen: 6/2010
Blog:
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack threatening the organization's existence

Description: Hackers breached the **Legal Aid Agency’s online platform**, accessing and exfiltrating a **massive trove of sensitive personal data** from over **2 million legal aid applicants** (2010–present) in England and Wales. The compromised data includes **full names, contact details, dates of birth, national ID numbers, criminal histories, employment status, and financial records** (debts, payments, contributions). The attackers, engaged in **data extortion**, threatened to **publish the data online**, posing severe risks to vulnerable individuals—such as domestic violence survivors whose safety depends on confidentiality. Despite a **legal injunction** against distribution, the anonymity of the hackers (likely operating from hostile jurisdictions) renders enforcement ineffective. The agency **shut down its online service** to contain the breach, disrupting critical public legal services. The incident underscores systemic vulnerabilities in **non-CNI public services**, where data leaks can have **life-threatening consequences** (e.g., exposed addresses enabling physical harm).

Legal Aid Agency (LAA)
Cyber Attack
Severity: 100
Impact: 5
Seen: 6/2010
Blog:
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack threatening the organization’s existence

Description: The UK Ministry of Justice (MoJ) confirmed that hackers accessed a **large volume of sensitive personal data** from the **Legal Aid Agency’s (LAA) digital services**, potentially exposing records of **millions of applicants** since 2010. Compromised data includes **contact details, national ID numbers, criminal records, employment status, and financial information** (debts, payments, contributions). The breach was detected on **April 23**, but its full scale—spanning **14 years of legal aid applications**—was only realized on **May 16**. The attack forced the LAA to **shut down its online platform**, disrupting legal aid services for vulnerable individuals (e.g., those facing criminal charges, debt, or family disputes). Authorities, including the **NCSC, NCA, and ICO**, are investigating, while affected users are warned of **fraud, identity theft, and phishing risks**. The breach raises concerns over **UK public sector cybersecurity resilience** and potential **regulatory/legal repercussions** for data protection failures.

Ministry of Justice (UK)
Breach
Severity: 60
Impact: 3
Seen: 10/2025
Blog:
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack with significant impact with internal employee data leaks

Description: A report by NordPass and NordStellar revealed that **3,014 passwords** belonging to UK civil servants—including those from the **Ministry of Justice (MoJ)**—were exposed on the dark web. The MoJ was the **most affected institution**, with **36 unique exposed passwords**, many of which were **weak, reused, or easily guessable** (e.g., *'12345678'* or *'password'*). The breach stemmed from poor cyber hygiene, including password recycling across accounts and failure to enforce strong authentication policies. The exposure poses **significant risks** not only to the MoJ’s internal operations but also to **national security**, as compromised credentials could enable unauthorized access to sensitive government systems. Civil servants’ accounts, if hijacked, might facilitate **phishing attacks, data leaks, or lateral movement into broader public infrastructure**. The incident underscores systemic vulnerabilities in **public-sector cybersecurity**, where weak password practices jeopardize both **employee data and citizen trust**. While no direct data theft was confirmed, the **potential for escalation**—such as targeted attacks on justice systems or exploitation of administrative privileges—remains high. The report urges **mandatory password managers, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and regular credential rotation** to mitigate future risks.

Ministry of Justice UK
Breach
Severity: 100
Impact: 5
Seen: 03/2022
Blog:
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack threatening the organization's existence

Description: The employee’s sensitive personal data of UK Ministry of Justice was compromised in an unauthorized access gained to the servers of Justice Academy, an online learning platform used by MoJ. The compromised information includes full name, staff identification information, email address, national insurance number, and details of where they work and with which department or agency. MoJ has reported about 2,152 data breaches and several cyber incidents in the 12 months.

Ailogo

LAA Company Scoring based on AI Models

Cyber Incidents Likelihood 3 - 6 - 9 months

🔒
Incident Predictions locked
Access Monitoring Plan

A.I Risk Score Likelihood 3 - 6 - 9 months

🔒
A.I. Risk Score Predictions locked
Access Monitoring Plan
statics

Underwriter Stats for LAA

Incidents vs Legal Services Industry Average (This Year)

No incidents recorded for The Legal Aid Agency in 2025.

Incidents vs All-Companies Average (This Year)

No incidents recorded for The Legal Aid Agency in 2025.

Incident Types LAA vs Legal Services Industry Avg (This Year)

No incidents recorded for The Legal Aid Agency in 2025.

Incident History — LAA (X = Date, Y = Severity)

LAA cyber incidents detection timeline including parent company and subsidiaries

LAA Company Subsidiaries

SubsidiaryImage

The Legal Aid Agency provides both civil and criminal legal aid and advice in England and Wales. Our work is essential to the fair, effective and efficient operation of the civil and criminal justice systems. We are a delivery organisation which commissions and procures legal aid services from providers (solicitors, barristers and the not-for-profit sector). The Legal Aid Agency is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. It came into existence on 1 April 2013 following the abolition of the Legal Services Commission as a result of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Act 2012. The Act created the new statutory office of the Director of Legal Casework. The Director will take decisions on the funding of individual cases. Processes have been put in place to ensure the Legal Aid Agency is able to demonstrate independence of decision-making. There will be an annual report published about these decisions.

Loading...
similarCompanies

LAA Similar Companies

Peter Law Group

Peter Law Group (PLG) is an employment and entertainment law firm. Our attorneys represent clients in discrimination, wrongful termination and sexual harassment cases. We negotiate employment agreements for senior executives on a regular basis. On the entertainment side, we handle transactions a

QDROCounsel

QDROCounsel changes how pension division and valuations are handled in the United States. The highly complex legal and financial issues that arise in pension division are critical in most divorces. In most cases, retirement benefits are the largest assets. And yet more often than not QDROs and Valua

Oben Legal

Oben Legal is a next generation ethics and integrity advisory and consulting boutique. We combine a unique blend of legal expertise, operational know-how, and bold creativity, to provide simple, transparent, fixed-cost ethics and compliance solutions for leaders everywhere. Our solutions equip our

Cefeidas Group

Cefeidas Group is an international advisory firm that focuses on research and assessments in both political risk and corporate governance. Based on our profound understanding of the political & regulatory environment and corporate governance structures, we deliver objective, multi-disciplined, sophi

Frank, Frank & Scherr, LLC

Frank, Frank & Scherr LLC focuses its practice on elder law, special needs trust planning, estate planning and estate administration. The firm handles a vast array of issues confronting seniors and individuals with disabilities including Medical Assistance planning and asset protection in the event

Consumer Litigation Associates, P.C.

Consumer Litigation Associates is a team of successful federal attorneys dedicated to protecting and defending consumer rights in the areas of credit reporting, identity theft, background checks, and predatory mortgage lending. Consumer Litigation Associates also pursues class action claims against

newsone

LAA CyberSecurity News

October 29, 2025 07:00 AM
Working for ICE

Career paths in management, information technology, law, mission support, public affairs and community outreach are available within the agency.

October 20, 2025 07:00 AM
2025 Cyber Incident Trends: What Your Business Needs to Know

Malicious actors continue to exploit our connected digital ecosystem, disrupting organizations across all sectors.

September 23, 2025 07:00 AM
Cybercriminals are going after law firms’ sensitive client data

Cyberthreats targeting law firms can expose sensitive client data, making cybersecurity a top priority for every firm.

August 26, 2025 07:00 AM
ENISA to operate the EU Cybersecurity Reserve with EUR 36 million

The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) and the European Commission signed a contribution agreement, through which the...

June 28, 2025 01:34 PM
Cyber Security Services | Cyber Risk

Organizations across the globe are navigating recurring and fluctuating risks to their cybersecurity posture and critical data, such as persistent...

June 26, 2025 10:04 AM
Supporting NIS2 implementation through actionable guidance

ENISA is the EU agency dedicated to enhancing cybersecurity in Europe. They offer guidance, tools, and resources to safeguard citizens and businesses from...

June 25, 2025 07:00 AM
EU Managed Security Services Certification to drive the cybersecurity market

ENISA is the EU agency dedicated to enhancing cybersecurity in Europe. They offer guidance, tools, and resources to safeguard citizens and...

June 24, 2025 07:00 AM
Indiana’s New Cybersecurity Requirements Effective July 1, 2025

On May 1, 2025, Governor Mike Braun signed into law Senate Enrolled Act 472 (SEA 472). It requires public entities to adopt specific...

June 19, 2025 09:17 AM
Cyber

Deloitte's cybersecurity solutions help you operate securely and grow successfully. Designed to meet organizations at any point in their journey.

faq

Frequently Asked Questions

Explore insights on cybersecurity incidents, risk posture, and Rankiteo's assessments.

LAA CyberSecurity History Information

Official Website of The Legal Aid Agency

The official website of The Legal Aid Agency is http://www.justice.gov.uk/about/laa.

The Legal Aid Agency’s AI-Generated Cybersecurity Score

According to Rankiteo, The Legal Aid Agency’s AI-generated cybersecurity score is 754, reflecting their Fair security posture.

How many security badges does The Legal Aid Agency’ have ?

According to Rankiteo, The Legal Aid Agency currently holds 0 security badges, indicating that no recognized compliance certifications are currently verified for the organization.

Does The Legal Aid Agency have SOC 2 Type 1 certification ?

According to Rankiteo, The Legal Aid Agency is not certified under SOC 2 Type 1.

Does The Legal Aid Agency have SOC 2 Type 2 certification ?

According to Rankiteo, The Legal Aid Agency does not hold a SOC 2 Type 2 certification.

Does The Legal Aid Agency comply with GDPR ?

According to Rankiteo, The Legal Aid Agency is not listed as GDPR compliant.

Does The Legal Aid Agency have PCI DSS certification ?

According to Rankiteo, The Legal Aid Agency does not currently maintain PCI DSS compliance.

Does The Legal Aid Agency comply with HIPAA ?

According to Rankiteo, The Legal Aid Agency is not compliant with HIPAA regulations.

Does The Legal Aid Agency have ISO 27001 certification ?

According to Rankiteo,The Legal Aid Agency is not certified under ISO 27001, indicating the absence of a formally recognized information security management framework.

Industry Classification of The Legal Aid Agency

The Legal Aid Agency operates primarily in the Legal Services industry.

Number of Employees at The Legal Aid Agency

The Legal Aid Agency employs approximately 354 people worldwide.

Subsidiaries Owned by The Legal Aid Agency

The Legal Aid Agency presently has no subsidiaries across any sectors.

The Legal Aid Agency’s LinkedIn Followers

The Legal Aid Agency’s official LinkedIn profile has approximately 18,588 followers.

NAICS Classification of The Legal Aid Agency

The Legal Aid Agency is classified under the NAICS code 5411, which corresponds to Legal Services.

The Legal Aid Agency’s Presence on Crunchbase

No, The Legal Aid Agency does not have a profile on Crunchbase.

The Legal Aid Agency’s Presence on LinkedIn

Yes, The Legal Aid Agency maintains an official LinkedIn profile, which is actively utilized for branding and talent engagement, which can be accessed here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-legal-aid-agency.

Cybersecurity Incidents Involving The Legal Aid Agency

As of November 30, 2025, Rankiteo reports that The Legal Aid Agency has experienced 5 cybersecurity incidents.

Number of Peer and Competitor Companies

The Legal Aid Agency has an estimated 7,389 peer or competitor companies worldwide.

What types of cybersecurity incidents have occurred at The Legal Aid Agency ?

Incident Types: The types of cybersecurity incidents that have occurred include Breach and Cyber Attack.

How does The Legal Aid Agency detect and respond to cybersecurity incidents ?

Detection and Response: The company detects and responds to cybersecurity incidents through an third party assistance with nordpass, third party assistance with nordstellar (research and disclosure), and remediation measures with urged adoption of strong, unique passwords; regular password rotation, and communication strategy with public report by nordpass/nordstellar; media coverage (e.g., techradar), and incident response plan activated with yes (moj and legal aid agency working with ncsc and nca), and third party assistance with national cyber security centre (ncsc), third party assistance with national crime agency (nca), and law enforcement notified with yes (nca involved), and containment measures with legal injunction against data distribution, containment measures with online service taken offline, and remediation measures with bolstering security of systems with ncsc support, and communication strategy with public disclosure via moj statement, communication strategy with apology from legal aid agency ceo jane harbottle, communication strategy with warnings to law firms about compromised financial data, and enhanced monitoring with likely (implied by 'bolstering security' but not explicitly stated), and and third party assistance with national cyber security centre (ncsc), third party assistance with national crime agency (nca), third party assistance with information commissioner’s office (ico), and and containment measures with immediate investigation launched, containment measures with online platform taken offline, containment measures with security strengthening, and recovery measures with contingency plans for manual legal aid processing, recovery measures with multi-agency coordination, and communication strategy with public statements by moj and laa ceo, communication strategy with direct outreach to affected individuals (planned), communication strategy with urgent advisories for applicants (vigilance, password changes, monitoring), and enhanced monitoring with strengthened security post-detection..

Incident Details

Can you provide details on each incident ?

Incident : Data Breach

Title: Unauthorized Access to UK Ministry of Justice Servers

Description: The employee’s sensitive personal data of UK Ministry of Justice was compromised in an unauthorized access gained to the servers of Justice Academy, an online learning platform used by MoJ. The compromised information includes full name, staff identification information, email address, national insurance number, and details of where they work and with which department or agency.

Type: Data Breach

Attack Vector: Unauthorized Access

Incident : Data Breach

Title: UK Legal Aid Agency Cyberattack

Description: The UK Legal Aid Agency suffered a major cyberattack, resulting in the theft of significant sensitive data, including criminal records dating back to 2010. The attack is believed to have stolen a substantial amount of data, potentially affecting 2.1 million records. The stolen data includes highly sensitive personal details of legal aid applicants, such as contact information, dates of birth, national identification numbers, criminal histories, employment statuses, and financial data. The attack also compromised information related to barristers, solicitors, and various organizations working with the Legal Aid Agency. As a result, the agency's online digital services have been taken offline.

Type: Data Breach

Incident : data breach

Title: Exposure of Over 3,000 UK Civil Servant Passwords on the Dark Web

Description: Hundreds of civil servants in the UK had their business passwords exposed on the dark web, posing risks to public institutions and national interests. The Ministry of Justice was the most affected. The incident highlights poor password hygiene, with many passwords being weak and reused across accounts. NordPass and NordStellar conducted the research, cross-referencing over 5,500 organizations across six countries, identifying 3,014 exposed passwords linked to UK civil servants.

Type: data breach

Attack Vector: dark web exposureweak/reused passwords

Vulnerability Exploited: Poor password hygiene (weak, reused, or easily guessable passwords)

Incident : Data Breach

Title: Data Breach at UK Ministry of Justice's Legal Aid Agency

Description: Hackers accessed a large amount of personal and sensitive information from individuals who applied for legal aid in England and Wales via the Legal Aid Agency’s online platform since 2010. The breach potentially exposed data of over 2 million people, including criminal histories, financial details, and personally identifiable information (PII). The hackers threatened to publish the data online, posing significant risks to vulnerable individuals, including victims of domestic violence. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) secured a legal injunction against the distribution of the data, but its effectiveness remains uncertain. The Legal Aid Agency took its online service offline as a precautionary measure.

Date Detected: 2024-04-23

Date Publicly Disclosed: 2024-05-20

Type: Data Breach

Motivation: Financial GainData Extortion

Incident : data breach

Title: UK Ministry of Justice Legal Aid Agency Data Breach

Description: The UK Ministry of Justice (MoJ) confirmed that hackers accessed a 'large amount of information' from the Legal Aid Agency’s (LAA) digital services, potentially exposing sensitive personal data of millions of people who applied for legal aid since 2010. The breach was first identified on April 23, 2024, and escalated significantly, with threat actors accessing and downloading personal data, including contact details, national ID numbers, criminal records, employment status, and financial data. The LAA took its online platform offline to contain the threat, and a multi-agency response involving the NCSC, NCA, and ICO is underway.

Date Detected: 2024-04-23

Date Publicly Disclosed: 2024-05-16

Type: data breach

What are the most common types of attacks the company has faced ?

Common Attack Types: The most common types of attacks the company has faced is Breach.

How does the company identify the attack vectors used in incidents ?

Identification of Attack Vectors: The company identifies the attack vectors used in incidents through Dark web (exposed credentials).

Impact of the Incidents

What was the impact of each incident ?

Incident : Data Breach MIN164115322

Data Compromised: Full name, Staff identification information, Email address, National insurance number, Work details, Department or agency details

Systems Affected: Justice Academy servers

Incident : Data Breach THE858052025

Data Compromised: Contact information, Dates of birth, National identification numbers, Criminal histories, Employment statuses, Financial data, Information related to barristers, solicitors, and various organizations

Systems Affected: online digital services

Downtime: online digital services have been taken offline

Incident : data breach UK-0592305101625

Data Compromised: Passwords (3,014 unique exposures)

Operational Impact: Potential unauthorized access to public institution systems, risk to national strategic interests

Brand Reputation Impact: Negative perception of public sector cybersecurity practices

Identity Theft Risk: High (due to reused passwords across accounts)

Incident : Data Breach THE31101331112625

Data Compromised: Contact details (names, addresses), Dates of birth, National id numbers, Criminal history, Employment status, Financial data (contribution amounts, debts, payments)

Systems Affected: Legal Aid Agency’s online platform

Downtime: Legal Aid Agency’s online service taken offline (duration unspecified)

Operational Impact: Disruption to legal aid application processing; potential long-term reputational and operational damage to the Legal Aid Agency and MoJ

Customer Complaints: Expected (specific numbers not provided)

Brand Reputation Impact: Severe (public trust in MoJ and Legal Aid Agency undermined, particularly among vulnerable populations)

Legal Liabilities: Potential lawsuits from affected individuals; regulatory scrutiny over data protection failures

Identity Theft Risk: High (due to exposure of PII and financial data)

Payment Information Risk: High (financial data such as debts and payments compromised)

Incident : data breach THE4221642112625

Data Compromised: Contact details, Addresses, Dates of birth, National id numbers, Criminal history, Employment status, Financial data (contribution amounts, debts, payments)

Systems Affected: Legal Aid Agency’s online digital services platform

Downtime: Ongoing (platform taken offline as of disclosure)

Operational Impact: Legal aid providers unable to log work or receive payments via digital platform; contingency plans implemented for manual processing

Brand Reputation Impact: High (loss of trust in government digital services, particularly for vulnerable populations)

Legal Liabilities: Potential regulatory action (ICO investigation), legal proceedings for data protection violations

Identity Theft Risk: High (exposure of national ID numbers, financial data, and criminal records)

Payment Information Risk: Moderate (financial data such as debts and payments exposed)

What types of data are most commonly compromised in incidents ?

Commonly Compromised Data Types: The types of data most commonly compromised in incidents are Personal Information, , Contact Information, Dates Of Birth, National Identification Numbers, Criminal Histories, Employment Statuses, Financial Data, Information Related To Barristers, Solicitors, And Various Organizations, , Passwords/Credentials, , Personally Identifiable Information (Pii), Criminal History, Financial Data, Employment Status, National Id Numbers, , Personally Identifiable Information (Pii), Criminal Records, Financial Data, Employment Status and .

Which entities were affected by each incident ?

Incident : Data Breach MIN164115322

Entity Name: UK Ministry of Justice

Entity Type: Government Agency

Industry: Government

Location: United Kingdom

Incident : Data Breach THE858052025

Entity Name: UK Legal Aid Agency

Entity Type: Government Agency

Industry: Legal

Location: United Kingdom

Customers Affected: 2.1 million records

Incident : data breach UK-0592305101625

Entity Name: Ministry of Justice (UK)

Entity Type: Government Ministry

Industry: Public Administration / Justice

Location: United Kingdom

Incident : data breach UK-0592305101625

Entity Name: Ministry of Defence (UK)

Entity Type: Government Ministry

Industry: Defense

Location: United Kingdom

Incident : data breach UK-0592305101625

Entity Name: Aberdeen City Council

Entity Type: Local Government

Industry: Public Administration

Location: Aberdeen, Scotland, UK

Incident : data breach UK-0592305101625

Entity Name: Department for Work and Pensions (UK)

Entity Type: Government Department

Industry: Social Services

Location: United Kingdom

Incident : data breach UK-0592305101625

Entity Name: National and Federal Parliaments (UK)

Entity Type: Legislative Body

Industry: Government

Location: United Kingdom

Incident : data breach UK-0592305101625

Entity Name: Local and Regional Governments (UK)

Entity Type: Public Institutions

Industry: Government

Location: United Kingdom

Incident : data breach UK-0592305101625

Entity Name: Municipalities (UK)

Entity Type: Local Government

Industry: Public Administration

Location: United Kingdom

Incident : Data Breach THE31101331112625

Entity Name: Ministry of Justice (MoJ), UK

Entity Type: Government Ministry

Industry: Public Sector / Legal Services

Location: United Kingdom (England and Wales)

Customers Affected: Potentially over 2 million legal aid applicants since 2010

Incident : Data Breach THE31101331112625

Entity Name: Legal Aid Agency

Entity Type: Government Agency

Industry: Legal Services

Location: United Kingdom (England and Wales)

Customers Affected: Potentially over 2 million legal aid applicants since 2010

Incident : Data Breach THE31101331112625

Entity Name: Legal aid applicants (individuals)

Entity Type: General Public

Location: United Kingdom (England and Wales)

Customers Affected: Potentially over 2 million

Incident : Data Breach THE31101331112625

Entity Name: Law firms, non-profits, and barristers (legal aid providers)

Entity Type: Private Sector, Non-Profit

Industry: Legal Services

Location: United Kingdom (England and Wales)

Incident : data breach THE4221642112625

Entity Name: UK Ministry of Justice (MoJ)

Entity Type: Government Ministry

Industry: Public Sector / Justice

Location: United Kingdom (England and Wales)

Customers Affected: Millions (all individuals who applied for legal aid online between 2010–2024)

Incident : data breach THE4221642112625

Entity Name: Legal Aid Agency (LAA)

Entity Type: Government Agency

Industry: Legal Services

Location: United Kingdom

Customers Affected: Millions (applicants from 2010–2024)

Response to the Incidents

What measures were taken in response to each incident ?

Incident : data breach UK-0592305101625

Third Party Assistance: Nordpass, Nordstellar (Research And Disclosure).

Remediation Measures: Urged adoption of strong, unique passwords; regular password rotation

Communication Strategy: Public report by NordPass/NordStellar; media coverage (e.g., TechRadar)

Incident : Data Breach THE31101331112625

Incident Response Plan Activated: Yes (MoJ and Legal Aid Agency working with NCSC and NCA)

Third Party Assistance: National Cyber Security Centre (Ncsc), National Crime Agency (Nca).

Law Enforcement Notified: Yes (NCA involved)

Containment Measures: Legal injunction against data distributionOnline service taken offline

Remediation Measures: Bolstering security of systems with NCSC support

Communication Strategy: Public disclosure via MoJ statementApology from Legal Aid Agency CEO Jane HarbottleWarnings to law firms about compromised financial data

Enhanced Monitoring: Likely (implied by 'bolstering security' but not explicitly stated)

Incident : data breach THE4221642112625

Incident Response Plan Activated: True

Third Party Assistance: National Cyber Security Centre (Ncsc), National Crime Agency (Nca), Information Commissioner’S Office (Ico).

Containment Measures: Immediate investigation launchedOnline platform taken offlineSecurity strengthening

Recovery Measures: Contingency plans for manual legal aid processingMulti-agency coordination

Communication Strategy: Public statements by MoJ and LAA CEODirect outreach to affected individuals (planned)Urgent advisories for applicants (vigilance, password changes, monitoring)

Enhanced Monitoring: Strengthened security post-detection

What is the company's incident response plan?

Incident Response Plan: The company's incident response plan is described as Yes (MoJ and Legal Aid Agency working with NCSC and NCA), .

How does the company involve third-party assistance in incident response ?

Third-Party Assistance: The company involves third-party assistance in incident response through NordPass, NordStellar (research and disclosure), , National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), National Crime Agency (NCA), , National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), National Crime Agency (NCA), Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), .

Data Breach Information

What type of data was compromised in each breach ?

Incident : Data Breach MIN164115322

Type of Data Compromised: Personal information

Sensitivity of Data: High

Personally Identifiable Information: full namestaff identification informationemail addressnational insurance numberwork detailsdepartment or agency details

Incident : Data Breach THE858052025

Type of Data Compromised: Contact information, Dates of birth, National identification numbers, Criminal histories, Employment statuses, Financial data, Information related to barristers, solicitors, and various organizations

Number of Records Exposed: 2.1 million

Sensitivity of Data: highly sensitive

Personally Identifiable Information: contact informationdates of birthnational identification numbers

Incident : data breach UK-0592305101625

Type of Data Compromised: Passwords/credentials

Number of Records Exposed: 3014

Sensitivity of Data: High (government/ civil servant credentials)

Data Exfiltration: Yes (exposed on dark web)

Incident : Data Breach THE31101331112625

Type of Data Compromised: Personally identifiable information (pii), Criminal history, Financial data, Employment status, National id numbers

Number of Records Exposed: Over 2 million (claimed by hackers; MoJ did not confirm exact number)

Sensitivity of Data: High (includes criminal histories, financial details, and PII of vulnerable individuals)

Data Exfiltration: Yes (hackers downloaded significant amounts of data)

Personally Identifiable Information: NamesAddressesDates of birthNational ID numbersFinancial details (contributions, debts, payments)

Incident : data breach THE4221642112625

Type of Data Compromised: Personally identifiable information (pii), Criminal records, Financial data, Employment status

Number of Records Exposed: Millions (exact number undisclosed; applicants from 2010–2024)

Sensitivity of Data: High (includes national ID numbers, criminal history, financial details)

Personally Identifiable Information: namescontact detailsaddressesdates of birthnational ID numbers

What measures does the company take to prevent data exfiltration ?

Prevention of Data Exfiltration: The company takes the following measures to prevent data exfiltration: Urged adoption of strong, unique passwords; regular password rotation, , Bolstering security of systems with NCSC support, .

How does the company handle incidents involving personally identifiable information (PII) ?

Handling of PII Incidents: The company handles incidents involving personally identifiable information (PII) through by legal injunction against data distribution, online service taken offline, , immediate investigation launched, online platform taken offline, security strengthening and .

Ransomware Information

Was ransomware involved in any of the incidents ?

Incident : Data Breach THE31101331112625

Data Exfiltration: Yes (data extortion incident)

Incident : data breach THE4221642112625

Data Exfiltration: True

How does the company recover data encrypted by ransomware ?

Data Recovery from Ransomware: The company recovers data encrypted by ransomware through Contingency plans for manual legal aid processing, Multi-agency coordination, .

Regulatory Compliance

Were there any regulatory violations and fines imposed for each incident ?

Incident : Data Breach THE31101331112625

Regulations Violated: UK GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018 (likely),

Legal Actions: Legal injunction secured against data distribution,

Incident : data breach THE4221642112625

Regulations Violated: UK GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018 (potential),

Legal Actions: Pending (ICO investigation ongoing)

Regulatory Notifications: Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) notified

How does the company ensure compliance with regulatory requirements ?

Ensuring Regulatory Compliance: The company ensures compliance with regulatory requirements through Legal injunction secured against data distribution, , Pending (ICO investigation ongoing).

Lessons Learned and Recommendations

What lessons were learned from each incident ?

Incident : data breach UK-0592305101625

Lessons Learned: Poor password hygiene (weak, reused passwords) remains a critical vulnerability in both public and private sectors., Exposed credentials of civil servants pose risks to national security and public trust., Cross-organizational password reuse exacerbates exposure risks.

Incident : Data Breach THE31101331112625

Lessons Learned: Vulnerabilities in public sector digital services can have severe consequences for marginalized populations., Legal injunctions may be ineffective against anonymous, jurisdictionally hostile threat actors., Critical public services (e.g., legal aid) may lack the same resilience as traditional critical national infrastructure (CNI)., Proactive law enforcement capabilities are needed to target high-risk data breaches selectively.

What recommendations were made to prevent future incidents ?

Incident : data breach UK-0592305101625

Recommendations: Enforce strong, unique password policies across all public sector accounts., Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for sensitive systems., Regularly audit and rotate passwords, especially for high-value targets (e.g., government employees)., Monitor dark web for exposed credentials proactively., Educate employees on cyber hygiene and risks of password reuse.Enforce strong, unique password policies across all public sector accounts., Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for sensitive systems., Regularly audit and rotate passwords, especially for high-value targets (e.g., government employees)., Monitor dark web for exposed credentials proactively., Educate employees on cyber hygiene and risks of password reuse.Enforce strong, unique password policies across all public sector accounts., Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for sensitive systems., Regularly audit and rotate passwords, especially for high-value targets (e.g., government employees)., Monitor dark web for exposed credentials proactively., Educate employees on cyber hygiene and risks of password reuse.Enforce strong, unique password policies across all public sector accounts., Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for sensitive systems., Regularly audit and rotate passwords, especially for high-value targets (e.g., government employees)., Monitor dark web for exposed credentials proactively., Educate employees on cyber hygiene and risks of password reuse.Enforce strong, unique password policies across all public sector accounts., Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for sensitive systems., Regularly audit and rotate passwords, especially for high-value targets (e.g., government employees)., Monitor dark web for exposed credentials proactively., Educate employees on cyber hygiene and risks of password reuse.

Incident : Data Breach THE31101331112625

Recommendations: Enhance cybersecurity measures for public-facing digital services, particularly those handling sensitive data., Prioritize protection of public services alongside traditional CNI in national cybersecurity strategies., Improve incident response coordination between government agencies (e.g., MoJ, NCSC, NCA)., Provide support (e.g., credit monitoring, identity theft protection) to affected individuals, especially vulnerable groups., Conduct a thorough review of the Legal Aid Agency’s data protection practices and third-party risk management.Enhance cybersecurity measures for public-facing digital services, particularly those handling sensitive data., Prioritize protection of public services alongside traditional CNI in national cybersecurity strategies., Improve incident response coordination between government agencies (e.g., MoJ, NCSC, NCA)., Provide support (e.g., credit monitoring, identity theft protection) to affected individuals, especially vulnerable groups., Conduct a thorough review of the Legal Aid Agency’s data protection practices and third-party risk management.Enhance cybersecurity measures for public-facing digital services, particularly those handling sensitive data., Prioritize protection of public services alongside traditional CNI in national cybersecurity strategies., Improve incident response coordination between government agencies (e.g., MoJ, NCSC, NCA)., Provide support (e.g., credit monitoring, identity theft protection) to affected individuals, especially vulnerable groups., Conduct a thorough review of the Legal Aid Agency’s data protection practices and third-party risk management.Enhance cybersecurity measures for public-facing digital services, particularly those handling sensitive data., Prioritize protection of public services alongside traditional CNI in national cybersecurity strategies., Improve incident response coordination between government agencies (e.g., MoJ, NCSC, NCA)., Provide support (e.g., credit monitoring, identity theft protection) to affected individuals, especially vulnerable groups., Conduct a thorough review of the Legal Aid Agency’s data protection practices and third-party risk management.Enhance cybersecurity measures for public-facing digital services, particularly those handling sensitive data., Prioritize protection of public services alongside traditional CNI in national cybersecurity strategies., Improve incident response coordination between government agencies (e.g., MoJ, NCSC, NCA)., Provide support (e.g., credit monitoring, identity theft protection) to affected individuals, especially vulnerable groups., Conduct a thorough review of the Legal Aid Agency’s data protection practices and third-party risk management.

Incident : data breach THE4221642112625

Recommendations: Enhance cybersecurity resilience for digital public services, Implement real-time monitoring for unusual activity, Conduct regular third-party audits of government platforms, Improve transparency and communication during incidents, Provide long-term support for affected vulnerable individualsEnhance cybersecurity resilience for digital public services, Implement real-time monitoring for unusual activity, Conduct regular third-party audits of government platforms, Improve transparency and communication during incidents, Provide long-term support for affected vulnerable individualsEnhance cybersecurity resilience for digital public services, Implement real-time monitoring for unusual activity, Conduct regular third-party audits of government platforms, Improve transparency and communication during incidents, Provide long-term support for affected vulnerable individualsEnhance cybersecurity resilience for digital public services, Implement real-time monitoring for unusual activity, Conduct regular third-party audits of government platforms, Improve transparency and communication during incidents, Provide long-term support for affected vulnerable individualsEnhance cybersecurity resilience for digital public services, Implement real-time monitoring for unusual activity, Conduct regular third-party audits of government platforms, Improve transparency and communication during incidents, Provide long-term support for affected vulnerable individuals

What are the key lessons learned from past incidents ?

Key Lessons Learned: The key lessons learned from past incidents are Poor password hygiene (weak, reused passwords) remains a critical vulnerability in both public and private sectors.,Exposed credentials of civil servants pose risks to national security and public trust.,Cross-organizational password reuse exacerbates exposure risks.Vulnerabilities in public sector digital services can have severe consequences for marginalized populations.,Legal injunctions may be ineffective against anonymous, jurisdictionally hostile threat actors.,Critical public services (e.g., legal aid) may lack the same resilience as traditional critical national infrastructure (CNI).,Proactive law enforcement capabilities are needed to target high-risk data breaches selectively.

What recommendations has the company implemented to improve cybersecurity ?

Implemented Recommendations: The company has implemented the following recommendations to improve cybersecurity: Enhance cybersecurity resilience for digital public services, Prioritize protection of public services alongside traditional CNI in national cybersecurity strategies., Implement real-time monitoring for unusual activity, Improve incident response coordination between government agencies (e.g., MoJ, NCSC, NCA)., Enhance cybersecurity measures for public-facing digital services, particularly those handling sensitive data., Conduct a thorough review of the Legal Aid Agency’s data protection practices and third-party risk management., Provide support (e.g., credit monitoring, identity theft protection) to affected individuals, especially vulnerable groups., Provide long-term support for affected vulnerable individuals, Conduct regular third-party audits of government platforms and Improve transparency and communication during incidents.

References

Where can I find more information about each incident ?

Incident : data breach UK-0592305101625

Source: NordPass & NordStellar Report

Incident : data breach UK-0592305101625

Source: TechRadar Pro

URL: https://www.techradar.com

Incident : Data Breach THE31101331112625

Source: Sky News

Incident : Data Breach THE31101331112625

Source: Ministry of Justice (MoJ) public statement

Date Accessed: 2024-05-20

Incident : Data Breach THE31101331112625

Source: Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) - Gareth Mott

Incident : Data Breach THE31101331112625

Source: Law Society of England and Wales - Richard Atkinson

Incident : data breach THE4221642112625

Source: UK Ministry of Justice Public Statement

Date Accessed: 2024-05-16

Incident : data breach THE4221642112625

Source: Legal Aid Agency CEO Jane Harbottle’s Address

Date Accessed: 2024-05-16

Incident : data breach THE4221642112625

Source: National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Advisory

Date Accessed: 2024-05

Where can stakeholders find additional resources on cybersecurity best practices ?

Additional Resources: Stakeholders can find additional resources on cybersecurity best practices at and Source: NordPass & NordStellar Report, and Source: TechRadar ProUrl: https://www.techradar.com, and Source: Sky News, and Source: Ministry of Justice (MoJ) public statementDate Accessed: 2024-05-20, and Source: Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) - Gareth Mott, and Source: Law Society of England and Wales - Richard Atkinson, and Source: UK Ministry of Justice Public StatementDate Accessed: 2024-05-16, and Source: Legal Aid Agency CEO Jane Harbottle’s AddressDate Accessed: 2024-05-16, and Source: National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) AdvisoryDate Accessed: 2024-05.

Investigation Status

What is the current status of the investigation for each incident ?

Incident : data breach UK-0592305101625

Investigation Status: Completed (by NordPass/NordStellar)

Incident : Data Breach THE31101331112625

Investigation Status: Ongoing (NCA, NCSC, and MoJ collaborating)

Incident : data breach THE4221642112625

Investigation Status: Ongoing (multi-agency investigation by NCSC, NCA, ICO)

How does the company communicate the status of incident investigations to stakeholders ?

Communication of Investigation Status: The company communicates the status of incident investigations to stakeholders through Public Report By Nordpass/Nordstellar; Media Coverage (E.G., Techradar), Public Disclosure Via Moj Statement, Apology From Legal Aid Agency Ceo Jane Harbottle, Warnings To Law Firms About Compromised Financial Data, Public Statements By Moj And Laa Ceo, Direct Outreach To Affected Individuals (Planned), Urgent Advisories For Applicants (Vigilance, Password Changes and Monitoring).

Stakeholder and Customer Advisories

Were there any advisories issued to stakeholders or customers for each incident ?

Incident : data breach UK-0592305101625

Stakeholder Advisories: Public Report Urging Improved Cyber Hygiene.

Incident : Data Breach THE31101331112625

Stakeholder Advisories: Warnings Issued To Law Firms About Compromised Financial Data., Public Apology And Updates From Legal Aid Agency Ceo Jane Harbottle..

Customer Advisories: MoJ statement acknowledging the breach and potential impact on legal aid applicants.Recommendations for affected individuals to monitor for identity theft or fraud (implied but not explicitly detailed).

Incident : data breach THE4221642112625

Stakeholder Advisories: Monitor For Suspicious Activity (Emails, Calls, Messages), Avoid Sharing Personal Details Without Verification, Change Passwords For Legal Aid Accounts And Linked Platforms, Check Bank Accounts And Credit Reports For Fraud.

Customer Advisories: Vulnerable individuals (e.g., those with criminal charges, debt, or family disputes) urged to take precautionsDirect outreach to affected applicants planned by MoJ/LAAContingency support for legal aid access during system downtime

What advisories does the company provide to stakeholders and customers following an incident ?

Advisories Provided: The company provides the following advisories to stakeholders and customers following an incident: were Public Report Urging Improved Cyber Hygiene, Warnings Issued To Law Firms About Compromised Financial Data., Public Apology And Updates From Legal Aid Agency Ceo Jane Harbottle., Moj Statement Acknowledging The Breach And Potential Impact On Legal Aid Applicants., Recommendations For Affected Individuals To Monitor For Identity Theft Or Fraud (Implied But Not Explicitly Detailed)., , Monitor For Suspicious Activity (Emails, Calls, Messages), Avoid Sharing Personal Details Without Verification, Change Passwords For Legal Aid Accounts And Linked Platforms, Check Bank Accounts And Credit Reports For Fraud, Vulnerable Individuals (E.G., Those With Criminal Charges, Debt, Or Family Disputes) Urged To Take Precautions, Direct Outreach To Affected Applicants Planned By Moj/Laa, Contingency Support For Legal Aid Access During System Downtime and .

Initial Access Broker

How did the initial access broker gain entry for each incident ?

Incident : data breach UK-0592305101625

Entry Point: Dark web (exposed credentials)

High Value Targets: Ministry Of Justice, Ministry Of Defence, Department For Work And Pensions,

Data Sold on Dark Web: Ministry Of Justice, Ministry Of Defence, Department For Work And Pensions,

Incident : Data Breach THE31101331112625

High Value Targets: Legal Aid Applicant Data (Including Criminal Histories And Financial Details),

Data Sold on Dark Web: Legal Aid Applicant Data (Including Criminal Histories And Financial Details),

Incident : data breach THE4221642112625

High Value Targets: Legal Aid Applicants' Pii And Financial/Criminal Records,

Data Sold on Dark Web: Legal Aid Applicants' Pii And Financial/Criminal Records,

Post-Incident Analysis

What were the root causes and corrective actions taken for each incident ?

Incident : data breach UK-0592305101625

Root Causes: Weak Password Policies (E.G., Passwords Like '12345678' Or 'Password')., Password Reuse Across Multiple Accounts/Services., Lack Of Proactive Monitoring For Credential Exposure.,

Corrective Actions: Public Awareness Campaign On Password Hygiene., Recommendations For Password Managers And Mfa Adoption.,

Incident : Data Breach THE31101331112625

Corrective Actions: Online Service Taken Offline To Prevent Further Access., Security Enhancements Implemented With Ncsc Support., Legal Injunction Secured To Deter Data Distribution.,

Incident : data breach THE4221642112625

Corrective Actions: Platform Taken Offline, Security Bolstered With Ncsc Assistance, Multi-Agency Review Of Digital Service Resilience,

What is the company's process for conducting post-incident analysis ?

Post-Incident Analysis Process: The company's process for conducting post-incident analysis is described as Nordpass, Nordstellar (Research And Disclosure), , National Cyber Security Centre (Ncsc), National Crime Agency (Nca), , Likely (implied by 'bolstering security' but not explicitly stated), National Cyber Security Centre (Ncsc), National Crime Agency (Nca), Information Commissioner’S Office (Ico), , Strengthened security post-detection.

What corrective actions has the company taken based on post-incident analysis ?

Corrective Actions Taken: The company has taken the following corrective actions based on post-incident analysis: Public Awareness Campaign On Password Hygiene., Recommendations For Password Managers And Mfa Adoption., , Online Service Taken Offline To Prevent Further Access., Security Enhancements Implemented With Ncsc Support., Legal Injunction Secured To Deter Data Distribution., , Platform Taken Offline, Security Bolstered With Ncsc Assistance, Multi-Agency Review Of Digital Service Resilience, .

Additional Questions

Incident Details

What was the most recent incident detected ?

Most Recent Incident Detected: The most recent incident detected was on 2024-04-23.

What was the most recent incident publicly disclosed ?

Most Recent Incident Publicly Disclosed: The most recent incident publicly disclosed was on 2024-05-16.

Impact of the Incidents

What was the most significant data compromised in an incident ?

Most Significant Data Compromised: The most significant data compromised in an incident were full name, staff identification information, email address, national insurance number, work details, department or agency details, , contact information, dates of birth, national identification numbers, criminal histories, employment statuses, financial data, information related to barristers, solicitors, and various organizations, , passwords (3,014 unique exposures), , Contact details (names, addresses), Dates of birth, National ID numbers, Criminal history, Employment status, Financial data (contribution amounts, debts, payments), , contact details, addresses, dates of birth, national ID numbers, criminal history, employment status, financial data (contribution amounts, debts, payments) and .

What was the most significant system affected in an incident ?

Most Significant System Affected: The most significant system affected in an incident was Justice Academy servers and and Legal Aid Agency’s online platform and Legal Aid Agency’s online digital services platform.

Response to the Incidents

What third-party assistance was involved in the most recent incident ?

Third-Party Assistance in Most Recent Incident: The third-party assistance involved in the most recent incident was nordpass, nordstellar (research and disclosure), , national cyber security centre (ncsc), national crime agency (nca), , national cyber security centre (ncsc), national crime agency (nca), information commissioner’s office (ico), .

What containment measures were taken in the most recent incident ?

Containment Measures in Most Recent Incident: The containment measures taken in the most recent incident were Legal injunction against data distributionOnline service taken offline and Immediate investigation launchedOnline platform taken offlineSecurity strengthening.

Data Breach Information

What was the most sensitive data compromised in a breach ?

Most Sensitive Data Compromised: The most sensitive data compromised in a breach were criminal history, work details, dates of birth, contact details, employment status, criminal histories, employment statuses, information related to barristers, solicitors, and various organizations, Criminal history, Dates of birth, email address, National ID numbers, financial data, passwords (3,014 unique exposures), national ID numbers, staff identification information, addresses, Contact details (names, addresses), department or agency details, Financial data (contribution amounts, debts, payments), Employment status, national insurance number, full name, national identification numbers, contact information, financial data (contribution amounts, debts and payments).

What was the number of records exposed in the most significant breach ?

Number of Records Exposed in Most Significant Breach: The number of records exposed in the most significant breach was 4.1M.

Regulatory Compliance

What was the most significant legal action taken for a regulatory violation ?

Most Significant Legal Action: The most significant legal action taken for a regulatory violation was Legal injunction secured against data distribution, , Pending (ICO investigation ongoing).

Lessons Learned and Recommendations

What was the most significant lesson learned from past incidents ?

Most Significant Lesson Learned: The most significant lesson learned from past incidents was Proactive law enforcement capabilities are needed to target high-risk data breaches selectively.

What was the most significant recommendation implemented to improve cybersecurity ?

Most Significant Recommendation Implemented: The most significant recommendation implemented to improve cybersecurity was Regularly audit and rotate passwords, especially for high-value targets (e.g., government employees)., Enhance cybersecurity resilience for digital public services, Prioritize protection of public services alongside traditional CNI in national cybersecurity strategies., Implement real-time monitoring for unusual activity, Enforce strong, unique password policies across all public sector accounts., Monitor dark web for exposed credentials proactively., Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for sensitive systems., Improve incident response coordination between government agencies (e.g., MoJ, NCSC, NCA)., Enhance cybersecurity measures for public-facing digital services, particularly those handling sensitive data., Conduct a thorough review of the Legal Aid Agency’s data protection practices and third-party risk management., Provide support (e.g., credit monitoring, identity theft protection) to affected individuals, especially vulnerable groups., Provide long-term support for affected vulnerable individuals, Conduct regular third-party audits of government platforms, Educate employees on cyber hygiene and risks of password reuse. and Improve transparency and communication during incidents.

References

What is the most recent source of information about an incident ?

Most Recent Source: The most recent source of information about an incident are Legal Aid Agency CEO Jane Harbottle’s Address, TechRadar Pro, National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Advisory, Ministry of Justice (MoJ) public statement, Law Society of England and Wales - Richard Atkinson, Sky News, Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) - Gareth Mott, NordPass & NordStellar Report and UK Ministry of Justice Public Statement.

What is the most recent URL for additional resources on cybersecurity best practices ?

Most Recent URL for Additional Resources: The most recent URL for additional resources on cybersecurity best practices is https://www.techradar.com .

Investigation Status

What is the current status of the most recent investigation ?

Current Status of Most Recent Investigation: The current status of the most recent investigation is Completed (by NordPass/NordStellar).

Stakeholder and Customer Advisories

What was the most recent stakeholder advisory issued ?

Most Recent Stakeholder Advisory: The most recent stakeholder advisory issued was Public report urging improved cyber hygiene, Warnings issued to law firms about compromised financial data., Public apology and updates from Legal Aid Agency CEO Jane Harbottle., Monitor for suspicious activity (emails, calls, messages), Avoid sharing personal details without verification, Change passwords for legal aid accounts and linked platforms, Check bank accounts and credit reports for fraud, .

What was the most recent customer advisory issued ?

Most Recent Customer Advisory: The most recent customer advisory issued were an MoJ statement acknowledging the breach and potential impact on legal aid applicants.Recommendations for affected individuals to monitor for identity theft or fraud (implied but not explicitly detailed)., Vulnerable individuals (e.g., those with criminal charges, debt and or family disputes) urged to take precautionsDirect outreach to affected applicants planned by MoJ/LAAContingency support for legal aid access during system downtime.

Initial Access Broker

What was the most recent entry point used by an initial access broker ?

Most Recent Entry Point: The most recent entry point used by an initial access broker was an Dark web (exposed credentials).

Post-Incident Analysis

What was the most significant root cause identified in post-incident analysis ?

Most Significant Root Cause: The most significant root cause identified in post-incident analysis was Weak password policies (e.g., passwords like '12345678' or 'password').Password reuse across multiple accounts/services.Lack of proactive monitoring for credential exposure..

What was the most significant corrective action taken based on post-incident analysis ?

Most Significant Corrective Action: The most significant corrective action taken based on post-incident analysis was Public awareness campaign on password hygiene.Recommendations for password managers and MFA adoption., Online service taken offline to prevent further access.Security enhancements implemented with NCSC support.Legal injunction secured to deter data distribution., Platform taken offlineSecurity bolstered with NCSC assistanceMulti-agency review of digital service resilience.

cve

Latest Global CVEs (Not Company-Specific)

Description

A vulnerability was determined in motogadget mo.lock Ignition Lock up to 20251125. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality of the component NFC Handler. Executing manipulation can lead to use of hard-coded cryptographic key . The physical device can be targeted for the attack. A high complexity level is associated with this attack. The exploitation appears to be difficult. The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.

Risk Information
cvss2
Base: 1.2
Severity: HIGH
AV:L/AC:H/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
cvss3
Base: 2.0
Severity: HIGH
CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
cvss4
Base: 1.0
Severity: HIGH
CVSS:4.0/AV:P/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
Description

OrangeHRM is a comprehensive human resource management (HRM) system. From version 5.0 to 5.7, the interview attachment retrieval endpoint in the Recruitment module serves files based solely on an authenticated session and user-supplied identifiers, without verifying whether the requester has permission to access the associated interview record. Because the server does not perform any recruitment-level authorization checks, an ESS-level user with no access to recruitment workflows can directly request interview attachment URLs and receive the corresponding files. This exposes confidential interview documents—including candidate CVs, evaluations, and supporting files—to unauthorized users. The issue arises from relying on predictable object identifiers and session presence rather than validating the user’s association with the relevant recruitment process. This issue has been patched in version 5.8.

Risk Information
cvss4
Base: 5.3
Severity: LOW
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
Description

OrangeHRM is a comprehensive human resource management (HRM) system. From version 5.0 to 5.7, the application’s recruitment attachment retrieval endpoint does not enforce the required authorization checks before serving candidate files. Even users restricted to ESS-level access, who have no permission to view the Recruitment module, can directly access candidate attachment URLs. When an authenticated request is made to the attachment endpoint, the system validates the session but does not confirm that the requesting user has the necessary recruitment permissions. As a result, any authenticated user can download CVs and other uploaded documents for arbitrary candidates by issuing direct requests to the attachment endpoint, leading to unauthorized exposure of sensitive applicant data. This issue has been patched in version 5.8.

Risk Information
cvss4
Base: 5.3
Severity: LOW
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
Description

OrangeHRM is a comprehensive human resource management (HRM) system. From version 5.0 to 5.7, the application does not invalidate existing sessions when a user is disabled or when a password change occurs, allowing active session cookies to remain valid indefinitely. As a result, a disabled user, or an attacker using a compromised account, can continue to access protected pages and perform operations as long as a prior session remains active. Because the server performs no session revocation or session-store cleanup during these critical state changes, disabling an account or updating credentials has no effect on already-established sessions. This makes administrative disable actions ineffective and allows unauthorized users to retain full access even after an account is closed or a password is reset, exposing the system to prolonged unauthorized use and significantly increasing the impact of account takeover scenarios. This issue has been patched in version 5.8.

Risk Information
cvss4
Base: 8.7
Severity: LOW
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
Description

OrangeHRM is a comprehensive human resource management (HRM) system. From version 5.0 to 5.7, the password reset workflow does not enforce that the username submitted in the final reset request matches the account for which the reset process was originally initiated. After obtaining a valid reset link for any account they can receive email for, an attacker can alter the username parameter in the final reset request to target a different user. Because the system accepts the supplied username without verification, the attacker can set a new password for any chosen account, including privileged accounts, resulting in full account takeover. This issue has been patched in version 5.8.

Risk Information
cvss4
Base: 8.7
Severity: LOW
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X

Access Data Using Our API

SubsidiaryImage

Get company history

curl -i -X GET 'https://api.rankiteo.com/underwriter-getcompany-history?linkedin_id=the-legal-aid-agency' -H 'apikey: YOUR_API_KEY_HERE'

What Do We Measure ?

revertimgrevertimgrevertimgrevertimg
Incident
revertimgrevertimgrevertimgrevertimg
Finding
revertimgrevertimgrevertimgrevertimg
Grade
revertimgrevertimgrevertimgrevertimg
Digital Assets

Every week, Rankiteo analyzes billions of signals to give organizations a sharper, faster view of emerging risks. With deeper, more actionable intelligence at their fingertips, security teams can outpace threat actors, respond instantly to Zero-Day attacks, and dramatically shrink their risk exposure window.

These are some of the factors we use to calculate the overall score:

Network Security

Identify exposed access points, detect misconfigured SSL certificates, and uncover vulnerabilities across the network infrastructure.

SBOM (Software Bill of Materials)

Gain visibility into the software components used within an organization to detect vulnerabilities, manage risk, and ensure supply chain security.

CMDB (Configuration Management Database)

Monitor and manage all IT assets and their configurations to ensure accurate, real-time visibility across the company's technology environment.

Threat Intelligence

Leverage real-time insights on active threats, malware campaigns, and emerging vulnerabilities to proactively defend against evolving cyberattacks.

Top LeftTop RightBottom LeftBottom Right
Rankiteo is a unified scoring and risk platform that analyzes billions of signals weekly to help organizations gain faster, more actionable insights into emerging threats. Empowering teams to outpace adversaries and reduce exposure.
Users Love Us Badge