Cyberattack on Arizona courts stole data of 1.3 million people
In short
A cyberattack on Arizona’s court system copied personal information belonging to 1.3 million people, the Arizona Supreme Court said, and is believed to have begun when a court employee clicked a malicious link in an email. Attackers also took records of nearly 30,000 orders of protection and 150,000 reports from a foster care board. Court staff shut the attack down on a backup server about two hours after spotting it on Sept. 24, and a court spokesperson said there is no evidence the data has been used or shared.
Why it matters
The breach exposed sensitive records held by a state court system, including protection orders and foster care board reports, not only unpaid fines and fees. Court officials say the information has not been misused so far and that cases were not delayed, but the investigation is continuing. The documents describe an email link clicked by an employee as the likely entry point, a common way for breaches of public systems to begin.
Key facts
- The Arizona Supreme Court said information was copied for 1.3 million people with unpaid court fees, fines and restitution payments for traffic and criminal violations, dating back as far as 30 years. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Attackers also took records of nearly 30,000 active and inactive orders of protection and 150,000 reports dating back to 2010 from a foster care board that makes recommendations in cases where parents are alleged to be unfit or unable to care for a child. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The attack is believed to have started when a court employee clicked a malicious link in an email. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Court technology staff shut down the attack on a backup server about two hours after spotting it on Sept. 24, and the court has since notified those affected. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- State Supreme Court spokesperson Alberto Rodriguez said there is no evidence the information has been used or shared after the attack. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Rodriguez said the attack, which is under investigation, has not affected or delayed any court cases. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- No records were altered or deleted, and information about jurors, witnesses or court employees was not stolen. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Information was copied for 1.3 million people with unpaid court fees, fines and restitution payments dating back as far as 30 years, according to the Arizona Supreme Court. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Records of nearly 30,000 orders of protection and 150,000 foster care board reports dating back to 2010 were also taken. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The attack is believed to have begun with a court employee clicking a malicious link in an email. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The court shut down the attack on a backup server about two hours after spotting it on Sept. 24. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- A court spokesperson said there is no evidence the information has been used or shared, and that court cases were not affected or delayed. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- No records were altered or deleted and juror, witness and court employee information was not taken. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Who carried out the attack and why None of the documents identify a perpetrator or a motive; they say only that the attack is under investigation.
- Whether the copied information has been misused The court spokesperson said there is no evidence the data has been used or shared, while the investigation is still under way, so the question remains open.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Court technology staff spot the attack on a backup server and shut it down about two hours later. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The Associated Press reports the breach, the number of people affected and the Arizona Supreme Court’s account of how it began. [ 1 ]
- The Seattle Times publishes the same account. [ 2 ]
- The New York Post publishes the same account. [ 3 ]