Wiley Rein Faces Class Action Over Cyberattack Linked to China

Wiley Rein LLP is facing a class action lawsuit due to a cyberattack that allegedly exposed sensitive personal data of individuals unrelated to the firm. The breach, attributed to hackers linked to the Chinese government, reportedly allowed access to the firm's Microsoft 365 email systems from July 2024 to March 2025, with the intrusion discovered on June 13, 2025. The lawsuit claims that the firm failed to implement adequate cybersecurity measures, such as multi-factor authentication, leading to the exposure of names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and financial information. Plaintiffs allege that many affected individuals had no prior relationship with the firm and did not consent to the storage of their data. Furthermore, the firm delayed notifying impacted individuals for nearly nine months after discovering the breach, which plaintiffs argue resulted in significant personal losses. The lawsuit seeks class-action certification, monetary damages, and reforms to the firm's cybersecurity practices.

Key Points: • Wiley Rein LLP's email systems were compromised for eight months by hackers linked to China. • Sensitive personal data of individuals with no relationship to the firm was exposed. • The firm delayed notifying affected individuals for nearly nine months after discovering the breach.