Hackers have successfully breached the court recordings database in Australia’s Victoria state, causing disruptions to the audio-visual in-court technology network. The breach has affected both recording and transcription services.
Court Services Victoria CEO Louise Anderson confirmed that recordings of some court hearings between November 1 and December 21, 2023, may have been stolen. Additionally, some hearings before November 1 might have been affected.
According to Anderson, the potential access is limited to recordings stored on the network, and no other court systems or records, including employee or financial data, were accessed. The affected network has been isolated and disabled, and court officials are collaborating with government cybersecurity experts to address the situation. Court Services Victoria did not disclose whether any ransomware demands were received.
This cyber intrusion follows a series of security breaches in Australia, including a hack at DP World Australia, a major port operator, resulting in a three-day operational suspension, and a recent cyber incident impacting the IT systems of Eagers Automotive.
The increasing frequency of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, businesses, and homes in Australia has been highlighted in a government report released in November 2023, revealing that one attack occurs every six minutes.