US Federal Judiciary Tightens Security Following Escalated Cyber-Attacks
The US federal judiciary has taken significant steps to bolster its cybersecurity measures following a series of high-profile cyber-attacks on its case management system. The move comes in response to reports that the federal case filing system was breached, exposing sensitive court documents in multiple states.
The Administrative Office of the United States Courts (AOUSC) has announced strengthened protections for sensitive court documents, citing "recent escalated cyber-attacks" as the primary motivation for these enhancements. According to the AOUSC, the attacks are of a sophisticated and persistent nature, with threat actors targeting sensitive information held on the system.
However, not all documents stored on the Judiciary's electronic case management system are confidential. In fact, "the vast majority of documents filed with the Judiciary’s electronic case management system are not confidential and indeed are readily available to the public," as stated by the AOUSC. This openness is fundamental to an open and transparent judicial system.
Yet, some filings do contain sensitive or proprietary information that are sealed from public view. In response to these concerns, courts across the country have been implementing more rigorous procedures to restrict access to such documents under carefully controlled and monitored circumstances.
Confidential Court Documents Reportedly Exposed by Hack
A report by Politico on August 6 revealed that the electronic case filing system used by the federal judiciary had been breached in a major cyber intrusion. According to sources with knowledge of the incident, the attack is feared to have compromised the identities of confidential informants involved in criminal cases at multiple federal district courts.
Nation-state actors are widely suspected of involvement in the hack, which is believed to have affected the judiciary’s federal core case management system, including a component used by legal professionals to upload and manage case files. Other sensitive information held in court documents that are not publicly available include people whose identities are protected by court orders or legislation, such as minors.
A Prime Target for Attackers
Court documents are a major target for a range of threat actors, including nation-state groups for espionage purposes, malicious actors attempting to disrupt or influence individual cases, and financially motivated cybercriminals using sensitive court data to extort individuals and organizations.
The Judiciary's IT systems have been targeted by foreign adversaries in the past, with Chairman of the Judicial Conference’s Committee on Information Technology and Court of Appeals Judge Michael Y. Scudder warning of rising threats to judiciary IT systems in September 2024.
A Growing Concern for Cybersecurity
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has also experienced a series of high-profile cybersecurity incidents, including a sophisticated and targeted attack reported in June 2025.
In September 2023, the ICC had previously experienced an attack on its IT systems, which was later confirmed to be espionage related. These incidents highlight the growing concern for cybersecurity within the judicial system, as well as the broader government sector.