The Victoria Court Hack resulted in hackers gaining unauthorized access to the audio-visual network and stealing Victorian court recordings.

The Victorian Court Cyber attack is believed to have occurred on 1 November, with the potential compromise of recordings of various court hearings.

In response, CSV (Court Services Victoria) is taking appropriate measures to notify individuals who may have been recorded during these hearings about the cyber attack on Victoria’s court system.

Victoria’s Court System Hacked with Sensitive Audio and Video Being Compromised

CSV became aware of the attack on 21 December, several weeks after the initial compromise of their audio-visual technology network.

According to CSV’s Chief Executive, Louise Anderson, the cyber attack on Victoria’s court resulted in unauthorized access to video and audio recordings of hearings across various courts, including the supreme, county, magistrates, and coroner’s courts.

What Exactly was Compromised in Victoria Court Hack

“The cyber incident led to unauthorised access leading to the disruption of the audio visual in-court technology network, impacting video recordings, audio recordings and transcription services,”

“Recordings of some hearings in courts between 1 November and 21 December 2023 may have been accessed. It is possible some hearings before 1 November are also affected.”

Reads the CSV statement

Specifically, the following courts and jurisdictions have been impacted by the security incident:

• Supreme Court – hearings from the Court of Appeal, Criminal Division, and Practice Court between December 1 and 21, and two regional hearings in November 2023.
• County Court – hearings from all criminal and civil courts from November 1 to December 21, 2023.
• Magistrates’ Court – some committals heard between November 1 and December 21, 2023.
• Children’s Court – one hearing from October 2023.
• Coroners Court – all hearings that took place between November 1 and December 21, 2023.

The Cyber Attack on Victorian Court Spanned Seven Weeks

The Victoria Court Hack occurred over a period of seven weeks. Additionally, there is a possibility that the breach may have impacted a recording from the children’s court in October, where stringent measures are in place to safeguard the identities of minors.

“The potential access is confined to recordings stored on the network,”

“No other court systems or records, including employee or financial data, were accessed.”

“We understand this will be unsettling for those who have been part of a hearing,”

“We recognise and apologise for the distress that this may cause people.”

Anderson said in a statement

To mitigate the impact of the Victorian Court Hack, CSV promptly isolated and disabled the compromised network.

This action was taken to ensure the continued operation of the courts. CSV is taking proactive measures to notify witnesses and other participants, of the Victorian court recordings breach, who may have been affected by the unauthorized access to recordings.

Additionally, a dedicated support contact center has been established to provide assistance and address any concerns of those affected by the cyber attack on Victoria’s court.

Certain recordings of supreme court hearings, including those in the court of appeal, as well as multiple committal hearings in the magistrates courts, are among the potentially compromised recordings.

Additionally, all county and coroner’s court hearings that were recorded on the network may have been affected. To ensure minimal disruption, CSV has made necessary arrangements for hearings to continue while they work on re-establishing the affected network.

Victoria’s Court and Victoria Police Collaborate to Contain the Breach

As part of the restoration process, security measures will be enhanced across the broader court and tribunal-wide technology system. Furthermore, Victoria Police is closely collaborating with CSV, as confirmed by the acting Victorian Premier, Ben Carroll.

“If anyone has any evidence, they are encouraged to come forward,”

“But I know, from my advice this morning, that this has been … a hack that has been well contained.”

Acting Victorian Premier, Ben Carroll.

Carroll emphasized the significance of maintaining vigilance among government agencies in response to the increasing prevalence of cyber-attacks.

Update: Victoria Court Hack is a Ransomware Attack, Qilin Ransomware Behind the Incident

The Victoria court hack was initially discovered when CSV staff members encountered a distressing message, “YOU HAVE BEEN PWND,”. The note points towards the Qilin Ransomware gang.

CSV responded swiftly by collaborating with cybersecurity experts to investigate the incident and implement additional security measures.

Acting Premier Ben Carroll reassured the public that the court’s operations remained unaffected and emphasized the containment of the cyberattack.

Precautions have been taken to safeguard court cases, hearings, and evidence. A dedicated center has been established to provide assistance to anyone potentially impacted by the breach.

CSV is actively working with cybersecurity experts to address the aftermath of the attack while prioritizing public confidence in the security of court proceedings.

As the situation continues to develop, further updates will be provided regarding the Victoria court ransomware attack and the claims made by the Qilin ransomware gang.