They are not going to pay anything I guarantee it. There is no randomware. They shut their services down before the attacker could deploy ransomware although the attacker likely accessed data.
> On Friday 16 May we discovered the attack was more extensive than originally understood and that the group behind it had accessed a large amount of information relating to legal aid applicants.
> We believe the group has accessed and downloaded a significant amount of personal data from those who applied for legal aid through our digital service since 2010.
> This data may have included contact details and addresses of applicants, their dates of birth, national ID numbers, criminal history, employment status and financial data such as contribution amounts, debts and payments.
It is entirely possible the IT was outsourced to the highest bidder, probably with limited liability clauses etc etc. See Post Office for reference, they are still reaping contract money out of the government, years after having been proven as responsible for ruining people's lives for decades, and coverups.
Here in the UK it's not as simple as that. In order for your bid to be accepted there are a lot of hoops you go through to try to prove yourself.
Unfortunately these make it very hard for people to get contracts with the government, so most government contracts get awarded to a small number of contractors who can maintain the expertise needed to comply with the rules. Often they end up charging more than other companies and doing a worse job.
Your comment is against the site rules on first sight, but it’s at the core of the problem: strong regulation, surveillance and punishment are sorely lacking.
Perhaps. So you prosecute your £30k low rank administrative assistant in charge of the thing. All the other unionized low-paid civil servants immediately go "we didn't sign up for this liability" and refuse to touch anything that could be deemed computer administration. Government grinds to a halt.
Something similar happened to the British Museum a couple of years ago. Almost certainly an even worse pay/qualifications employer.
If someone puts a low rank admin assistant in charge then the boss needs prosecuting. It would be the public sector version of getting the boss's nephew to do it.
Me personally I would like to set on fire the very people who begin to consider an upgrade to a major Windows version not earlier than it goes out of extended support.
Could you rephrase this with fewer negations? I cannot parse what you are trying to hate and therefore what point you are trying to make -- "those who begin to consider not earlier than it is not fully supported"
Can't edit anymore, so I have to bear the responsibility of that comment for life.
What I was trying to say is that some orgs upgrade their Windows OS installations after a ridiculous amount of time. Like I have legit seen a company thinking to upgrade to Windows Server 2008. And knowing them I'm sure it will take years to implement.
just in case people are not aware what "legal aid" or what "Legal Aid Agency" are:
> Legal aid is the provision of assistance to people who are unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system. Legal aid is regarded as central in providing access to justice by ensuring equality before the law, the right to counsel and the right to a fair trial.
> The Legal Aid Agency is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in the United Kingdom. It provides both civil and criminal legal aid and advice in England and Wales.
Note Gossi's "If". There's no indication so far wrt possible payment.