The U.S. Federal Judiciary has confirmed that it recently experienced a cyberattack targeting its electronic case management systems, which host confidential court documents. In response to the breach, the judiciary is implementing enhanced cybersecurity measures designed to protect sensitive information. While many documents in the system are public, certain sealed filings contain critical details that necessitate heightened security.
According to a statement released by the agency, additional steps are being taken to strengthen the protections for sensitive case documents following a rise in sophisticated and persistent cyberattacks on its case management system. As indicated in their announcement, “The federal Judiciary is taking additional steps to strengthen protections for sensitive case documents in response to recent escalated cyberattacks of a sophisticated and persistent nature on its case management system.”
The judiciary’s proactive measures come amid a growing trend of cyberattacks impacting both public and private sectors, making the defense of legacy systems increasingly challenging. The increased frequency and sophistication of such attacks illustrate the need for enhanced security protocols, which will also help to mitigate their impact on litigants.
This announcement follows a recent report by Politico that raised concerns regarding a potential breach in the U.S. Court system’s case management system. The report claimed that sensitive information, including identities of confidential informants, may have been exposed during the attack, potentially affecting multiple federal districts.
Sources close to the investigation revealed that the judiciary first became aware of the cyberattack’s full severity on July 4, 2025, yet they refrained from publicly disclosing this information at that time. While the judiciary stopped short of directly confirming a breach impacting confidential documents on PACER, their statements suggest that such concerns are being taken seriously.
As further details regarding the breach and its implications unfold, the U.S. Federal Judiciary will continue to collaborate closely with the courts to ensure that the impact on litigants is minimized. BleepingComputer reached out for clarification from both the U.S. Federal Judiciary and the U.S. Department of Justice regarding the allegations made in the Politico report, but we were advised to refer to the published statement.