Legal and professional services firm Gateley has experienced a significant cyberattack. The business, which has offices in Leicester and Nottingham, is currently investigating how its systems were compromised.
Client data has been stolen in the attack by an external source.
What do we know about the Gateley hack?
A notice on the firm’s website reads:
“We are currently managing a cyber security incident after discovering unauthorised activity on our network.
“The intrusion was quickly identified by our IT team and we acted immediately to secure our systems, taking some systems offline while we undertook necessary extensive investigations into the incident. Based on the information gathered to date, we are confident that our security controls were effective in limiting the impact of the incident which has been confined to a very small part of our data store, approximately 0.2% of our data.
“The incident has been reported to the necessary authorities and regulators including the National Crime Agency, Action Fraud and the Information Commissioner’s Office. We are working with experienced cyber security professionals to support our investigation and identify any parties that may have been affected. The impacted data did include some client data but there is no evidence currently to suggest that the affected data has been further disseminated. We will, of course, contact anyone affected in due course. We have carefully but rapidly re-established our core systems to enable us to continue to work and communicate with our clients, suppliers and intermediaries.
“Rod Waldie, Chief Executive Officer of Gateley, said:
“IT security is of paramount importance to Gateley and we had carefully planned for the occurrence of risk that a cyber breach could have on the business. Incidents of this nature are, sadly, prevalent. I am grateful that the prompt actions of our IT team have limited the impact of this incident and enabled us to resume our business operations swiftly.
“We are continuing to work with specialist cyber security professionals to investigate the incident and identify any parties that may have been affected and we will, of course, contact anyone affected in due course. In the meantime, we are restoring all of our systems in a safe and secure manner as quickly as possible and do not expect at this stage any significant disruption to our day-to-day activities or financial performance.”
“If any client has any concerns about the incident, we would encourage them to contact their day-to-day Relationship Manager.”
Has your data been stolen in the Gateley hack?
Clients whose data has been compromised in this attack are right to be worried. Because if this data is used by cybercriminals, the consequences could be devastating.
Find out how to keep safe following a cybersecurity breach.
According to the firm, it will notify everyone affected, so if you have used Gateley for legal services, you should look out for this communication. And, if you are in any way concerned, you have the legal right to contact Gateley directly for confirmation of your involvement.
What can you do if your data is involved?
The legal sector is a lucrative target for hackers. Solicitors have access to some of our most sensitive information. As such, strict policies and procedures must be in place to ensure the safe processing of such data. But all too often, this is not happening.
The ICO will now look into the circumstances of this breach. If your data has been exposed, and Gateley’s data security processes made the attack possible, you will likely have a strong compensation claim.
At Keller Postman UK, our expert data breach lawyers are committed to upholding the standards of our industry. That’s why it’s particularly upsetting when we are contacted by someone whose data has been compromised by their solicitor.
For advice on what to do about the Gateley hack, and to find out more about making a no-win, no-fee claim, contact our expert data breach solicitors today.
