Law firm service provider CTS hit by major cyberattack

80-200 UK law firms may have been impacted

A major cyberattack on CTS, a leading IT service provider for law firms, conveyancers and other organisations in the UK legal sector, has resulted in a widespread outage affecting numerous law firms and homebuyers.

In a statement, CTS acknowledged the service disruption, attributing it to a cyber incident. The company said it was actively collaborating with a renowned global cyber-forensics firm to urgently investigate the incident and facilitate the restoration of services.

Efforts are underway to bring the affected online services back, but CTS said it was unable to provide a specific timeline for resolution. The company is in direct communication with impacted clients, providing regular updates on the progress of service restoration and investigations into the cyber incident.

Although the exact number of affected customers and the nature of the attack remain undisclosed by CTS, preliminary information suggests that a ransomware attack is at the core of the issue. Local media estimates, based on information from CTS clients, indicate that between 80 and 200 law firms may have been impacted.

The outage has had tangible repercussions, with individuals unable to carry out property transactions throughout the week. The uncertainty about when the issue will be resolved has added to the frustration.

Speaking to Bleeping Computer O'Neil Patient, a client of CTS, emphasised the broad impact of the outage on various organisations within the sector, highlighting that the provider specialises in secure legal systems for numerous law firms and barristers' chambers. Patient assured that there is currently no evidence of compromised data integrity, but systems will not be brought back online until safety assurances are obtained.

As an MSP, CTS offers cyber protection services, including detection and response to cyberattacks, email and network security, and employee security awareness training.

It is worth noting that the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) previously cautioned about the heightened attack surface associated with using MSP services, emphasising the attractiveness of such providers as targets for cyberattackers.

While CTS has yet to disclose the number of affected customers or the precise nature of the attack, the company has informed the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) about the incident.