U.S. Court Database Protocols Stolen by Russian Hackers, According to Bloomberg Report
U.S. Federal Judiciary's Case Management System Breached by Russian Hackers
The U.S. federal judiciary's case management system has suffered a significant breach, with hackers gaining unauthorized access to sensitive and sealed court records over multiple years. The intrusion, first reported in August 2025, is believed to have begun as early as July 2025, and it appears that vulnerabilities left unpatched for about five years were exploited.
According to a report by Bloomberg Law, Russian hackers are suspected of being behind the breach. They are said to have gained access by combining stolen credentials with a cybersecurity exploit in an outdated federal judiciary server. The sensitive documents accessed include national security-related court records, sealed criminal charging, and investigative files, posing serious national security and law enforcement risks.
The hackers are alleged to be linked to a group reportedly associated with Russia, although their specific identity remains unknown. The materials obtained contain confidential information that could help identify law enforcement informants.
The breach has prompted calls from U.S. lawmakers, such as Senator Ron Wyden, for an independent review of the federal court's cybersecurity. The concerns revolve around negligence and inadequate protections despite prolonged knowledge of vulnerabilities.
In addition, it is suspected that other groups, including drug cartels and other nation-state actors, may have penetrated the system simultaneously or over overlapping periods. This suggests a complex, multifaceted threat landscape targeting U.S. judicial IT systems.
The scale of the leak of sensitive information across various cases is a significant concern, and the specific hacker group or individuals involved have not been named in the report. The timeline of the breach and its discovery remains unclear.
In fall 2024, judicial authorities hired cybersecurity specialists to address the issue, but it appears that the damage had already been done. The incident underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date cybersecurity measures and promptly addressing known vulnerabilities in critical systems.
[1] Bloomberg Law. (2025, August 16). U.S. Federal Court System Hacked by Russian Spies, Lawmakers Say. Retrieved from https://www.bloomberglaw.com/privacy-and-data-security/us-federal-court-system-hacked-by-russian-spies-lawmakers-say
[2] KrebsOnSecurity. (2025, August 17). Federal Court System Breached, Sensitive Docs Exposed. Retrieved from https://krebsonsecurity.com/2025/08/federal-court-system-breached-sensitive-docs-exposed/
[3] The Hill. (2025, August 18). Sen. Wyden calls for independent review of federal court's cybersecurity following breach. Retrieved from https://thehill.com/policy/technology/3221501-sen-wyden-calls-for-independent-review-of-federal-courts-cybersecurity-following
[4] Ars Technica. (2025, August 19). Russian hackers breached federal court system, stole sensitive files. Retrieved from https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2025/08/russian-hackers-breached-federal-court-system-stole-sensitive-files/
The U.S. federal judiciary's breach by Russian hackers is a matter of significant concern in the realm of general news and politics, as it involves war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice priorities. This cybersecurity incident exposes a vulnerability in the federal court's cybersecurity that has persisted for years, raising questions about inadequate protections and the need for an independent review, as called for by U.S. lawmakers like Senator Ron Wyden.
