“It seems to be an endless onslaught of data breaches in the last few weeks, with the Legal Aid Agency the latest victim of a cyber incident. The big question seems to be are we dangling on the edge of a digital apocalypse given all the high-profile attacks recently? I would push back and say that in a world so intrinsically tied to digital services it is not unusual to see missteps and issues, and it will become less about the issues occurring and more about how we deal with them.
“The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has confirmed that a ‘significant amount’ of personal information was compromised, dating back as far as 2010. This is obviously concerning, as it targets information from people in their time of need, but there is reassurance in the response from the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), with the relevant regulators being involved as well. This goes to highlight that when breaches do occur, they are taken seriously and is met with the appropriate expertise and urgency.
“For anyone who has applied for legal aid, the usual good-sense advice would apply, so that means keeping an eye out for unexpected contact, double check before clicking any unusual links, and possibly update your passwords for the service.
“Some reports of the incident have tied it in with mentions of other high-profile breaches, but the similarity ends at a cyber-related incident and a loss of data. It’s a little like seeing there are three umbrellas in the hallway and deciding it means a storm is on the way. It’s very human (and very tempting) to see patterns to make sense of the wider world but as far as we know, the similarities between the MoJ incident and the retail incidents of recent weeks are limited. They might be sharing a news cycle and a spot in the public consciousness but, for now, there’s nothing to link the events.
“This isn’t evidence of a growing cyber Armageddon. It’s a reminder, albeit an unwelcome one, that digital housekeeping is as vital as ever.”
To arrange an interview with Professor Oli Buckley, email the Public Relations team or call 01509 222224.
ENDS