U.S. federal courts say their systems were targeted by recent cyberattacks

Computer code is displayed on screens.

WASHINGTON - The federal judiciary’s information technology systems have been targeted by “recent escalated cyberattacks of a sophisticated and persistent nature,” the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts said in a statement on Thursday.

The statement follows a Politico report late on Wednesday that the judiciary’s electronic case filing system had been compromised in a sweeping hack that was believed to have exposed sensitive court data in several states.

Politico, which cited two people familiar with the matter, said the incident had affected the judiciary’s federal case management system, which includes the Case Management/Electronic Case Files, or CM/ECF, which legal professionals use to upload and manage case documents; and Public Access to Court Electronic Records, or PACER, which provides the public with pay-for access to some of the same data.

The Administrative Office’s statement did not address the specifics of Politico’s reporting. It said the judiciary was focused on “further enhancing security of the system” and “working with courts to mitigate the impact on litigants.”

Reporting by Raphael SatterEditing by Rod Nickel.