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In a shocking revelation, U.S. investigators say that Russian-linked hackers orchestrated a year-long intrusion into the federal court systems, compromising the integrity of one of the nation's most sensitive judicial operations The Times of India Politico.

Intrusion Timeline and Scope

The breach reportedly began more than a year ago and crept through the decentralized CM/ECF (Case Management/Electronic Case Files) network—covering over 200 federal court jurisdictions—and PACER, the public access system. Hackers exploited security weaknesses that were first flagged in 2020, allowing them to siphon off sealed court documents, case source code, and information in national security cases Politico The Times.

Internal memos, circulated to clerks and judges, warned the judiciary: “Persistent and sophisticated cyber threat actors have recently compromised sealed records,” marking the incident as an urgent priority The Tribune The Times of India.

What’s at Risk

This is no ordinary data scrape. Affected material includes sealed filings, criminal warrants, details about confidential informants, and potentially ongoing national security cases—some involving sources whose identities remain protected The Times of India Politico. Investigators also flagged searches tied to Eastern European surnames and mid-level criminal cases, particularly in jurisdictions like New York City, alarming judicial authorities The Times The Tribune.

Even more troubling: evidence suggests that Latin American drug cartels may have gained access to this trove—raising the possibility of witnesses being identified or targeted by organized crime Politico The Times.

Russian Involvement

U.S. cybersecurity experts now point sharply at Russia. While confirmation is limited, both The New York Times and Politico underscore Russian state actors as primary suspects, tracing the break-in to vulnerabilities that have lingered since 2020, Reuters Politico.

This isn't Russia’s first incursion: it follows the infamous SolarWinds supply-chain hack that penetrated U.S. government networks in 2020, Tech Crunch Politico.

Judicial Response and Security Gaps

Despite repeated warnings—including congressional and judicial alerts dating back to 2020 and 2022—federal courts failed to patch core security faults, such as missing two-factor authentication and inconsistent system monitoring Politico The Tribune.

Their remedy: a defensive switch to paper filings for sealed documents, a crackdown on digital submissions, and plans for a long-term rebuild of the CM/ECF infrastructure Politico The Tribune.

Political Tensions and Diplomatic Fallout

The timing is explosive. President Trump recently confirmed that he may raise the court hack during a scheduled meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska, acknowledging that “they’re good at it” when pressed about confronting Russia Politico The Times of India. Trump’s dismissive takeaway—“Are you surprised?”—further stoked debate over the seriousness of the breach and America’s cyber-defense readiness The Times of India Axios.

National Security at Stake

U.S. lawmakers and cybersecurity officials have condemned the breach, calling it a national security disaster and warning that foreign adversaries now hold detailed insight into the U.S. judicial process. A congressional briefing is already in motion Politico+1.

Bottom Line:
This breach isn’t just a digital data leak—it’s a systemic failure revealing long-ignored vulnerabilities in the U.S. court infrastructure. With foreign actors exploiting these gaps, the intrusion carries real-world implications—from national security breaches to threats against judicial witnesses and integrity.

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