Court Services Victoria (CSV) has confirmed a cybersecurity incident affecting the courts and tribunals in Victoria.
On Dec. 21, CSV received notification of the incident. The unauthorised access led to disruptions in the audio-visual in-court technology network, impacting video recordings, audio recordings, and transcription services.
CSV promptly took action, isolating and disabling the affected network and implementing measures to ensure continued court operations. Consequently, hearings scheduled for January are expected to proceed.
In its latest statement, CSV revealed that recordings of some court hearings between Nov. 1 and Dec. 21 may have been accessed, with the potential inclusion of hearings before Nov. 1. The access is limited to recordings stored on the network.
CSV said that no other court systems or records, including employee or financial data, were compromised.
“Maintaining security for court users is our highest priority. Our current efforts are focused on ensuring our systems are safe and making sure we notify people in hearings where recordings may have been accessed,” said CSV CEO Louise Anderson. “We understand this will be unsettling for those who have been part of a hearing. We recognise and apologise for the distress that this may cause people.”
Individuals seeking further information or assistance can contact the dedicated Contact Centre established by CSV, reachable by telephone at 03 9087 6116 or via email at [email protected].
Collaboration with cybersecurity experts from the Victorian Department of Government Services and relevant authorities is ongoing to investigate and respond to the incident.
In other news, the Australian government released its 2023-2030 cybersecurity strategy aimed at transforming Australia into a world leader in cybersecurity.
