Russia is suspected in the hacking of the federal court system of the USA

• Russia is suspected in the hacking of the court records system of the USA.
• The hack could threaten confidential information for informants in criminal cases.
• The Administrative Office of the US Courts is taking steps to protect data.

According to reports, Russia was partially responsible for a recent hack of the electronic court records system of the USA, which could lead to the leak of sensitive information about criminal cases and confidential informants.

The attack occurred in mid-July, and, as reported, hackers were seeking information about criminal cases related to individuals who may have Russian and Eastern European ties. Along with the information from The New York Times, it is unknown which specific Russian agency was involved in the hack.

In an internal memorandum that fell into the hands of mass media, it is stated that "persistent and complex cyberattacks recently compromised stored records." This information was forwarded to officials at the US Department of Justice, including the Secretary and Chief Justices.

Chief Justices had previously warned about the need to transfer cases that fall under this category, to the regular management system of documents.

In response to the threat, the Administrative Office of the US Courts stated that it is taking steps to enhance the protection of sensitive court documents, emphasizing that the majority of documents submitted into the system are not confidential.

Russia is also suspected in relation to the previous hack that occurred in 2020, when the SolarWinds software was compromised, affecting many government installations and technical companies.

Data that could have been compromised includes sealed criminal cases, orders for arrest, and other documents that may be inaccessible to the public.

Tags: USA/Russia/Technology