&w=3840&q=100)
US suspects Russian involvement in breach of Federal Court filing system
The disclosure comes as US President Donald Trump is expected to meet with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Alaska on Friday, where Trump is planning to discuss his push to end the war in Ukraine. While it's unclear whether an arm of Russian intelligence is behind the hack or if other countries were involved, some of the people familiar with the matter described it as a years-long effort to infiltrate the system.
According to The New York Times, some of the searches included midlevel criminal cases in the New York City area and several other jurisdictions, with some cases involving people with Russian and Eastern European surnames.
Court administrators recently warned Justice Department officials, clerks, and chief judges in federal courts that "persistent and sophisticated cyber threat actors have recently compromised sealed records," according to an internal department memo.
The administrators also advised those officials to quickly remove the most sensitive documents from the system, as per The New York Times.
"This remains an URGENT MATTER that requires immediate action," officials wrote, referring to guidance that the Justice Department had issued in early 2021 after the system was first infiltrated.
The breach is believed to have exposed sensitive information, including documents related to criminal activity with overseas ties, across at least eight district courts.
Last month, the chief judges of district courts across the country were quietly warned to move those kinds of cases off the regular document-management system, according to officials briefed on the request. They were initially told not to discuss the matter with other judges in their districts.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
28 minutes ago
- Mint
Norwegian police say pro-Russian hackers were likely behind suspected sabotage at a dam
Russian hackers are likely behind suspected sabotage at a dam in Norway in April that affected water flows, police officials told Norwegian media on Wednesday. The director of the Norwegian Police Security Service, Beate Gangås, said cyberattacks are increasingly being carried out against Western nations to stoke fear and unrest. The Associated Press has plotted more than 70 incidents on a map tracking a campaign of disruption across Europe blamed on Russia, which Western officials have described as 'reckless.' Since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, Western officials have accused Russia and its proxies of staging dozens of attacks and other incidents, ranging from vandalism to arson and attempted assassination. Intelligence officials told the that the campaign is becoming more violent. During the April incident, hackers gained access to a digital system which remotely controls one of the dam's valves and opened it to increase the water flow, NRK said. The valve was open for around four hours but did not pose a danger to the surrounding area, NRK reported. A three-minute long video showing the dam's control panel and a mark identifying a pro-Russian cybercriminal group was published on Telegram in April, police attorney Terje Nedrebø Michelsen told NRK. Similar videos have previously circulated on social media, but the announcement by Norwegian police marked the first time since 2022 that officials have publicly suggested pro-Russian hackers may have successfully targeted critical water infrastructure in Europe. Gangås told NRK that state actors typically use other groups to hack into facilities to show 'look what we can do if we want to," before bragging about it afterwards. She spoke Wednesday alongside the head of Norway's intelligence agency at a briefing titled: 'Hybrid attacks against Norway: are we at war?' NRK said Gangås warned such activity is only likely to increase in Norway and other European countries. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
News18
an hour ago
- News18
They're Good At It: Trump Reacts To Alleged Role Of Russia In US Court Hack
His remarks come ahead of the high-stakes US-Russia summit in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15. US President Donald Trump has downplayed concerns surrounding Russia's alleged involvement in a recent cyberattack targeting the US federal court document system. While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, the President responded to the claims without showing surprise or alarm, striking a dismissive tone just days before his scheduled summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. When asked to comment on the reports, Trump replied bluntly, 'Are you surprised?" He was then asked whether he might raise the issue of Russian hacking during the upcoming Alaska meeting. Trump responded, 'I guess I could… They hack in, that's what they do. They are good at it. We are good at it; we are actually better at it. I have heard about it." His remarks come ahead of the high-stakes US-Russia summit in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15, where discussions are expected to focus primarily on the ongoing war in Ukraine. It is yet to be seen if this newly surfaced hacking incident could cast a shadow over the proceedings. The alleged breach was first reported by Politico, and later detailed in a New York Times investigation published Tuesday. According to the reports, hackers exploited vulnerabilities in the Case Management/Electronic Case Files (CM/ECF) system, the same system previously compromised during a 2020 cyberattack believed to have been carried out by Russian state-sponsored actors. The breach reportedly targeted mid-level criminal cases, including several involving defendants with Russian and Eastern European surnames, particularly in New York City and other federal jurisdictions. Although the Justice Department has not officially attributed the breach to Moscow, officials have stated the patterns are 'consistent" with prior Russian cyber activity. Trump made his remarks during a press conference at the Kennedy Center, where he also announced honourees for a national cultural award. During the same event, he addressed questions about the upcoming summit with Putin, reiterating his intention to potentially hold a three-way meeting with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, should the initial talks prove productive. However, Trump also warned of serious consequences for Russia if no progress is made on ending the war in Ukraine, indicating that diplomatic pressure could intensify following the summit. view comments First Published: August 14, 2025, 02:04 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Economic Times
an hour ago
- Economic Times
Ukraine's Alaska agenda: Kiev wants a lasting ceasefire, NATO-backed security, reparations, and sustained sanctions on Russia
Synopsis As Trump and Putin prepare to meet in Alaska, Ukraine seeks assurances that its interests won't be sacrificed. Kyiv insists on a durable ceasefire, Russian reparations for war damages estimated up to $1 trillion, and binding security guarantees via NATO and the EU. Ukraine also demands the return of abducted children and prisoners of war, alongside maintaining sanctions on Russia. AP Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attends a joint press statement with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz following talks with European and US leaders in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) As US President Donald Trump prepares to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, August 15, Ukraine hopes for an agreement that will meet its demands of stopping the war and preventing future aggression. But since Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will not attend this meeting, Kyiv fears being left out of negotiations that could decide its and its European allies also fear that Friday's Alaska summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin could yield a settlement that sacrifices Kyiv's interests for the appearance of peace. President Zelensky will hold a pre-summit call with Trump alongside European leaders on Wednesday, August 13, to lay out non-negotiable red lines, including a durable ceasefire, full participation in talks, and compensation for war damage estimated at up to $1 has warned that any decisions made without Ukraine 'are at the same time decisions against peace,' as quoted by Politico. Ukrainian officials say Putin's ultimate goal is not just holding territory but ending Ukraine's independence. These are Kyiv's longstanding demands, which they are eagerly hoping to meet. Kyiv insists on a durable ceasefire before discussing any territorial issues, rejecting US suggestions of 'land swaps' involving the says ceding the region would invite future offensives and undermine Ukraine's Mark Rutte has floated a possible compromise in which some areas remain under Russian control but are legally recognized as Ukrainian.'When it comes to this whole issue of territory, when it comes to acknowledging, for example, maybe in a future deal that Russia is controlling de facto, factually some of the territory of Ukraine, it has to be effectual recognition, and not a political de jure recognition,' he told insists that Moscow must bear the financial burden for the destruction it has inflicted (by starting a war), a toll estimated between $500 billion and $1 trillion in damages to infrastructure, homes, and Chancellor Friedrich Merz, speaking at the Ukraine Recovery Conference last month, underlined this demand:'Russia must pay for the approximately €500 billion in damages caused. Until this happens, Moscow must not be granted access to its frozen assets.'Ukraine points to the fact that close European allies hold significant Russian state assets, with almost €200 billion frozen in Belgium alone, as a major source of leverage. Kyiv believes these funds must remain inaccessible to Moscow until full reparations are Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made clear that only full membership in NATO and the European Union can guarantee Ukraine's long-term security:A Politico article quotes Zewleanskey, 'Will we be in NATO? In the EU? I haven't heard anything — simply not a single proposal that would guarantee that a new war won't start tomorrow. We need security guarantees that will preserve, first of all, our state, a sovereign state, our independence.'However, Ukraine faces pushback: US President Donald Trump has ruled out NATO membership, a stance quietly backed by some European capitals, and Moscow demands a permanent NATO veto for Ukraine. Zelenskyy also criticizes EU member states that are hesitant to admit a large, poor country with a vast agricultural now, European partners, not the US, are Ukraine's primary source of military assistance. Since the war began, Europe has provided at least €73.9 billion in military aid, compared to €64 billion from the US, according to the Kiel demands the immediate return of nearly 20,000 children, who it says were abducted by Russia. Only 1,453 have been returned so far, often through mediation by Qatar and other claims these transfers are evacuations to safety, but refuses to return the children to their families, instead placing them in adoption systems and subjecting them to Russian propaganda. In 2023, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin over the unlawful deportation of children from occupied Ukraine to prisoners of war, there has been more progress: more than 2,000 POWs have been exchanged under Trump's mediation, but thousands remain in Russian custody without access for international human rights backed by European allies, demands that existing primary and secondary sanctions remain in place and even be strengthened. They argue that easing sanctions or resuming trade with Russia would allow Moscow to rebuild its war Timothy Ash estimates the war has already cost Russia about $2 trillion, nearly equivalent to its annual risks for Ukraine are clear. As he told Politico, 'Ukraine could survive the war, but not survive the peace,' if a bad deal undermines its security and sovereignty.
