A severe cyberattack targeting the Arizona court system compromised sensitive personal information of approximately 1.3 million individuals. Judicial authorities confirmed that 30 years of digital records were exposed after hackers breached a backup server. The cyber intrusion began on September 24 when an employee clicked a malicious phishing link. Officials report that exposed data includes names and Social Security numbers, though core court operations and trials remain unaffected.

Hackers copied sensitive personal data from individuals enrolled in the statewide Fines, Fees, and Restitution Enforcement program, which manages outstanding court debts from traffic and criminal violations dating back three decades. Stolen files contained names and Social Security numbers. Additionally, intruders obtained nearly 30,000 active and inactive protective orders alongside 150,000 confidential Foster Care Review Board reports compiled since 2010.

How Quickly Did IT Stop Cyberattack?

Information technology staff detected unauthorized network activity during the cyberattack on a backup server and completely shut down the affected system within two hours of discovery. Judicial spokespersons clarified that no court records were altered or deleted during the incident. Furthermore, details regarding court employees, witnesses, and active jurors remained untouched, ensuring ongoing trial proceedings and court operations faced zero administrative delays following the major cyberattack.

State Supreme Court officials notified law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission and the FBI, to conduct a comprehensive forensic investigation. Court authorities are directly notifying impacted individuals via text messages and official mailings. Officials strongly recommend that affected residents place fraud alerts or credit freezes on their accounts to prevent potential identity theft and financial fraud.