ICC Contained Cyberattack Amid Espionage Threats and Pressure
The International Criminal Court (ICC) recently announced it was hit by a sophisticated cyberattack. The attack, detected late last week, has been contained, and the Court is now assessing its full impact. This incident, publicly confirmed on Monday, marks the second such major cyber security challenge for the ICC in recent years.
Targeted Attack and Quick Response
The ICC, located in The Hague, described the event as a “sophisticated and targeted cyber security incident.” Its internal alert systems quickly spotted the intrusion, allowing for swift confirmation and containment. An analysis is currently underway to understand the full effects across the Court’s systems. Steps are already being taken to reduce any negative outcomes. The Court emphasizes the importance of informing the public and its member countries about such events and seeks their continued support to maintain its vital work of justice.
Broader Context and Past Incidents
This cyberattack happened around the same time as the NATO summit in The Hague. During that period, Dutch cybersecurity officials reported various cyberattacks, known as Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, against local government and other organizations. These attacks, which aim to overwhelm systems with traffic, were claimed by pro-Russian hacker groups.
A power outage also disrupted train traffic in the country on June 24, 2025, with authorities investigating possible sabotage. Reportedly, the outage occurred at Schiphol airport in the Netherlands, which disrupted traffic, causing around 30 cables to be damaged due to a fire. This affected trains from Amsterdam, Schiphol, and Utrecht stations, which are 50 kilometers away from NATO leaders’ gathering. The ICC itself experienced a similar “targeted and sophisticated” cybersecurity incident in 2023, believed to be an attempt at espionage.
The recent attack also occurs as the ICC is handling several major cases. These include arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Hamas leader Ibrahim ‘Deif’ Al-Masri. The Court has faced increased attention following its recent decision to issue arrest warrants for Prime Minister Netanyahu and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant, regarding Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
In a related development, the Trump administration previously sanctioned the Court’s Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, who also faced an email access issue with Microsoft in May. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions against four ICC judges in early June, connected to the Court’s investigations and arrest warrants.
