US federal judiciary hit by cyberattack exposing confidential case files

The U.S. federal judiciary’s electronic case filing system has been compromised in a widespread cyberattack, potentially exposing sensitive court data across multiple states, sources with knowledge of the breach told POLITICO.

The hack is believed to have revealed identities of confidential informants involved in federal criminal cases and may have affected sealed indictments, arrest warrants, and other sensitive documents. Approximately a dozen court dockets were reportedly tampered with in one district, though full details remain unclear.

The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AO), which manages the system, first recognised the severity of the breach around July 4. The AO, Justice Department, and individual courts are still assessing the scope. The FBI and Justice Department have not publicly commented. Nation-state actors are suspected, with possible involvement of criminal groups.

The breach impacted the core case management system, which includes CM/ECF (used by legal professionals for document filings) and PACER (public access system). These platforms contain confidential information that, if exploited, could jeopardise investigations and court security.

Chief judges from the 8th Circuit states were briefed last week at a judicial conference. Director of the AO, Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr., attended but did not comment publicly. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was also present but did not address the breach.

This attack highlights ongoing cybersecurity challenges for the judiciary. Michael Scudder, chair of the federal courts’ IT policy committee, testified in June that CM/ECF and PACER are outdated and vulnerable, requiring replacement. The judiciary handles extremely sensitive data, facing constant and serious security threats.

This incident follows a prior investigation announced in 2022 into a hack dating back to 2020 involving three foreign groups. It remains unknown if the attacks are related.

Despite concerns, the most protected federal witnesses’ identities were not compromised, as their information is stored separately by the Justice Department.

Scudder emphasised that modernising the court’s filing systems is a top priority but will need gradual development, as these systems are critical for daily federal court operations.

By Tamilla Hasanova