Cyberattack on Arizona court system: Data of 1.3 million people stolen

PHOENIX, USA — A cyberattack on Arizona’s court system has resulted in the theft of personal data belonging to more than 1.3 million people. The attack is believed to have occurred after a court employee clicked on a malicious link sent by email.

According to the Arizona Supreme Court, the stolen data belonged to individuals with outstanding court fees, fines, traffic violations and criminal restitution payments dating back as far as 30 years.

The attackers also gained access to the database of a guardianship board that provides recommendations in cases involving parents deemed unable or unfit to care for their children. They reportedly obtained about 30,000 active and inactive protective orders dating back to before 2010, as well as 150,000 reports.

The court’s technology team detected the intrusion into a backup server on September 24 and stopped the attack approximately two hours later. Those affected by the incident were subsequently notified.

Arizona Supreme Court spokesperson Alberto Rodriguez said there was no evidence that the stolen data had been used or shared with third parties.

According to Rodriguez, the cyberattack did not affect any court cases or cause delays in proceedings. No records were altered or deleted, and the attackers did not gain access to information about jurors, witnesses or court employees.