Switzerland’s district court has announced that it fell victim to a cyberattack. The affected area by the Switzerland District Court cyberattack is the German-speaking district of March in central Switzerland, home to approximately 45,000 residents.
While the details of the cyberattack on the Switzerland District Court are yet to be revealed, the limited information provided on the court’s website implies that it could potentially be a ransomware attack.
Switzerland District Court Cyberattack
The court’s website states, “The March district was the victim of a cyberattack. The entire IT system had to be shut down to protect the data. It is currently unclear when the IT will be available again, but it could take several days.”
Even though the court’s phone lines are temporarily down, scheduled hearings should proceed as planned.
It comes after a ransomware attack in November against the Zollikofen, a suburb of Bern.
Authorities turned off and disconnected their computer networks as a precaution after the cyberattack on Switzerland district court, attackers encrypted administration data, according to Swiss news outlet Inside IT.
The Swiss government alerted the public earlier this year to the possibility that ransomware attackers had gained access to state data after attacking an IT company, reported The Record.
Although many financially driven ransomware gangs steer clear of victims within Russia’s perceived sphere of influence, they frequently choose victims from outside the country based on opportunity.
After Russia invaded Ukraine, Switzerland, which has maintained a neutral foreign policy toward military conflict for the previous 200 years, imposed sanctions against the Russian Federation through the European Union.
Not the First Incident
The Switzerland District Court cyberattack is not the first incident of its kind. A few days back, the Kansas Court had also been targeted in a massive cyberattack with far-reaching impacts. The event affected systems for marriage license applications and court fee payments, which also affected operations at the Kansas Court System.
In another incident, the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has its main office in The Hague, the Netherlands, has strengthened its online security measures following the discovery of a significant cyber security incident that it determined to be an act of espionage five weeks ago.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) stated that while it is not possible to determine the identity of the attacker with the evidence currently available, a criminal investigation is being carried out by the Dutch law enforcement authorities.
In response to the attack, the ICC said that the court is strengthening its framework for risk management and developing plans of action to be prepared for any possible fallout from the cyberattack, including any potential security risk to witnesses, victims, court staff, and the court’s operations.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) said that all States Parties share responsibility for mitigating the growing threat of cyberattacks and safeguarding the ICC to ensure its ability to carry out its vital mandate of justice and accountability.
Although the scope of the cyberattack on Switzerland district court is still being investigated, preliminary findings indicate that data, including district court case records on appeal and Office of Judicial Administration files, were compromised.
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