Cyber Resilience for Government: Why Prevention Matters More Than Ever

Tim Matson, Government Lead | Estimated Read Time: 6 minutes

In April 2025, the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) was hit by a serious cyber-attack. Systems that help providers log work, process payments, and manage cases were suddenly unavailable, and subsequent inquiries revealed the attackers had gained access to large volumes of personal information - including addresses, identification details, and historic records - dating back almost two decades.

For public bodies, this incident highlights more than a technical failure. It disrupted the delivery of a critical service, placed additional strain on already stretched professionals, and risked undermining the trust of citizens who depend on government support at pivotal moments in their lives. The episode serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safeguarding citizen-facing applications, where the consequences of disruption are immediate and deeply felt.

Months later, the ripple effects remain. Lawyers struggle with disrupted workflows, unreliable contingency payments, and eroded trust. Some face the collapse of their legal aid practices entirely. This should be a shock - but for many government IT leaders, it wasn’t unexpected. 

A recent survey found 60% consider successful cyber-attacks “inevitable”, with phishing and ransomware ranked as chief threats. Many admit that outdated infrastructure, overwhelmed budgets, and weak security culture have left public services dangerously exposed.

So, why is this happening?

• Legacy IT systems: fragile, inflexible, insecure systems are often left on life support due to budget constraints, even though they hold highly sensitive data.

• Reactive approaches dominate: too few organisations invest in proactive threat detection or regular security assessments.

• Impact goes beyond technical failings: disruptions translate directly into drained resources, strained frontline services, and lost public trust.

What Government Must Learn (and Act-On) Now

Cyberattacks aren’t one-off crises.

The LAA breach underscores how far-reaching and long-lasting the damage can be. Months after the incident, administrative work is still delayed, staff continue to work around broken processes, and confidence in the system has not been restored. A single attack can trigger a cascade of consequences - legal challenges, financial strain, reputational damage, and years of remediation work. For public bodies, the idea of “recovering quickly” is often unrealistic. The reality is that recovery is slow, complex, and costly.

Public trust and service accessibility suffer most.

When services are disrupted, we all know it is citizens (often the most vulnerable) who bear the heaviest burden. For those relying on legal aid, such as victims of domestic abuse or people navigating criminal prosecutions, delays or inaccessibility can have life-changing consequences. Trust in government is built on the expectation that essential services will be there when needed. Once lost, that trust is difficult to win back, and the effects can reach well beyond the immediate incident, shaping public perception of government competence as a whole.

Budgets are tight - but security must be built in, not bolted on.

It is no secret that government budgets are stretched, with IT departments often under-resourced and asked to do more with less. But responding to a breach costs far more (in financial terms, in staff time, and in reputational damage) than investing in prevention. Security needs to be designed into digital services from the outset, not added later as a sticking plaster. The cost of doing nothing is far greater than the cost of prevention.

Regulations are tightening.

The policy landscape is shifting quickly. The government is preparing measures to ban public sector bodies from paying ransoms, alongside stricter requirements for cyber incident reporting. These changes mean organisations will no longer be able to fall back on reactive payments or quietly deal with breaches behind the scenes. Instead, they will need to demonstrate resilience, preparedness, and transparency. This regulatory direction sends a clear signal: building secure, resilient services is no longer optional - it is a baseline expectation.

How Cloud Gateway Can Help

At Cloud Gateway, we understand that government bodies operate under intense pressure. Budgets are limited. Expectations are high. You need solutions that protect citizen-facing services - without unnecessary complexity or hidden costs.

Here’s how we help:

• Security built into the fabric: Enterprise-grade security to protect your users, data, and infrastructure. Integrated encryption, granular controls and continuous monitoring enforce consistent protection and simplify compliance across every environment.

• Smooth deployment, predictable cost: No expensive rebuilds or dramatic overhauls are needed. Cloud Gateway integrates with your existing infrastructure, reducing disruption and avoiding unnecessary spend. As your needs change, we’ll scale with you - so you only ever pay for what you use, with full visibility of cost from the outset.

• Proactive threat protection: We deliver real-time threat analysis, blocking suspicious traffic before it hits your systems, helping you stay ahead of phishing, ransomware, and other sophisticated attacks.

• Data that stays in the UK: We understand the importance of data sovereignty for government bodies. All data processed through Cloud Gateway remains within the UK, helping you meet compliance requirements and maintain full control over sensitive information.

Final Thoughts

The Legal Aid Agency breach was more than just a technical failure. It laid bare the human, financial, and systemic consequences of digital neglect. For governments across the UK, it’s a stark reminder: protecting citizen-facing services isn’t optional - it’s essential.

Cloud Gateway offers a direct, affordable, and resilient solution; bridging the gap between your current systems and the protection citizens need and deserve.

Let’s secure services, restore trust, and protect the public - without over-promise, just practical, clear-cut defence where it matters.

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Discover how Cloud Gateway can help you secure citizen-facing services, strengthen resilience, and rebuild public trust.