The UK's Legal Aid Agency revealed that a cyberattack last year resulted in the theft of records stretching back nearly five decades, with some data originating as far back as 1978. This revelation significantly expands the scope of the breach beyond initial estimates, with further coverage provided by The Register.
The breach, which occurred in April 2025, initially was thought to involve data from 2007 onwards. However, subsequent investigation has uncovered approximately 250,000 records dating from before 2007, including a substantial portion from the 1990s and 2000s, and a small number from before 1990. The compromised information includes names, addresses, dates of birth, National Insurance numbers, financial details, and legal proceedings information. Additionally, the Ministry of Justice confirmed that hackers accessed HM Prison and Probation Service data, including offender details from 2010 to 2017. The government stated that the stolen probation data does not relate to victims of crime. The extensive data theft highlights vulnerabilities in government systems holding historical personal information. In response, the agency has enhanced security measures, including improved authentication, access controls, and monitoring, while also beginning to modernize its legacy systems.
Source: The Register
