Investigators have uncovered evidence that Russia is at least in part responsible for a recent hack of the computer system that manages federal court documents, the New York Times reported Tuesday, citing several people briefed on the breach.
Sources briefed on the matter told The New York Times that the hackers targeted highly sensitive, sealed records, including documents that could reveal confidential sources and details of national security prosecutions. The multiyear infiltration has renewed fears about the vulnerability of a sprawling electronic records network long seen as a prime target for foreign adversaries.
An internal Justice Department memo warned that "persistent and sophisticated cyber threat actors" had compromised sealed records, prompting officials to move the most sensitive files off the compromised system. The breach reportedly affected at least eight district courts, with targeted cases including some tied to individuals with Russian and Eastern European connections.
