Arizona’s court system says criminal hackers copied personally identifiable information belonging to “many Arizonans,” including data connected to some current and former protective orders, during a cyberattack disclosed Friday.
Cybernews reported that the Arizona Supreme Court announced the breach Sept. 25 after court IT staff detected the intrusion and moved to stop it. The Administrative Office of the Courts is notifying people whose records it believes were copied.
An official Arizona Judicial Branch alert says authentic notices will come from no-reply@courts.az.gov and emphasizes the emails are not a scam. Officials have not disclosed the number of victims, affected courts or databases, method of entry or attacker’s identity.
The most serious known concern involves people who sought protection from abuse, harassment or stalking. Notices reviewed by Arizona’s Family told some recipients that information tied to a current or past protective order, including a confidential address and location data, may have been copied.
One affected woman told the station she felt vulnerable because the court held her address specifically to keep it from her abuser. “I need that information protected,” she said.
Court officials said they have no evidence the copied information has been shared. They said its format makes it unclear whether most of the data can be easily read. The attack targeted court records broadly rather than specific individuals, according to the notices.
Chief Justice Ann Scott Timmer said she contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s top official in Arizona and pledged full cooperation. KJZZ reported the bureau is investigating.
The court’s online hub currently offers limited guidance and promises updates. People who believe the breach creates an immediate safety threat are advised to contact local law enforcement.
