Victoria court system hit by cyberattack, sensitive testimony recordings exposed

The court system in Victoria, Australia, has experienced a ransomware cyberattack, suspected to be carried out by Russian hackers, compromising its audio-visual archive.

Discovered on December 21, the cyberattack locked court staff out of their computers, displaying a message indicating a breach. Hackers left a note threatening to release the stolen files and provided instructions on the dark web for file recovery. This attack significantly impacted the County Court, with criminal and civil hearings recorded in this period, including cases of historical and child sexual abuse, being accessed. The Supreme Court's various divisions also faced breaches.

This breach potentially exposed recordings of various court cases, including sensitive ones with witness testimonies. Court Services Victoria (CSV) is actively working to inform individuals whose court recordings were potentially accessed during this incident, which primarily affected recordings between November 1 and December 21. However, there's a chance that some earlier cases might also be involved.

No details are disclosed about the nature of the attack other than it's a ransomware. No details are available about the number of affected individuals.

CSV responded by isolating and disabling the affected network, ensuring that court operations, especially January hearings, continue securely. Acting Premier Ben Carroll assured that court operations were not disrupted, emphasizing the containment of the attack and protection of court procedures and evidence.