The Western Australia-based legal practice, Paterson & Dowding Family Lawyers, has officially confirmed it was the victim of a recent cyber incident. The confirmation follows a claim by the Anubis ransomware group that it accessed and leaked sensitive information belonging to the law firm, which specializes in family law. The firm’s representatives stated that they became aware of unusual activity on their internal systems, prompting immediate action to contain and investigate the breach.
Upon detecting the unauthorized access, Paterson & Dowding took swift measures, including hiring external experts to contain the threat and commence an urgent investigation into the scope of the incident. A firm spokesperson confirmed that a subset of personal information was accessed and exfiltrated by the unauthorized third party. Crucially, some of this stolen data has reportedly been published externally, raising concerns about the privacy of those affected.
The legal practice has initiated the process of informing all potentially impacted clients and employees about the situation. This notification includes providing recommended measures and advice to help safeguard their personal information following the breach. The firm emphasized its commitment to supporting those affected, stating, “We take the privacy of our clients and staff very seriously, and we sincerely apologize for any concern or inconvenience this incident has caused.”
In adherence to regulatory requirements, Paterson & Dowding has reported the data breach to both the Office of the Information Commissioner and the Australian Cyber Security Centre. Reporting to these bodies is a necessary step in responding to a significant cyber event that involves unauthorized access to personal data.
To fully understand the impact, an internal review is currently underway to determine the complete extent of the data exposure and analyze how the breach occurred. The firm’s focus remains on supporting its staff and clients while working to resolve the situation and improve security to prevent future incidents.
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