Legal Aid Agency cyberattack: Compromised data goes back to 1978
A cyberattack on the UK's Legal Aid Agency, which occurred in April 2025, exposed data stretching back to 1978. The breach is significantly broader in historical scope than initially understood.
Why this matters: Nearly five decades of records means this is not a breach of recent users. People who sought legal aid in the 1980s, 1990s, or 2000s may now be affected too. Legal aid clients are often in financial difficulty, facing criminal charges, or navigating family breakdowns. That is sensitive information they had no real choice but to hand over. They could not opt out. The government held their data and is responsible for what happens to it now.
Who should care: Cybersecurity · Privacy officers · Administrators
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