Key points
- The Bankruptcy Noticing Center has been offline since October 9 due to a cybersecurity incident at BAE Systems Inc.
- All access to BNC systems and websites operated by BAE on behalf of the judiciary is currently unavailable.
- Courts continue to accept new case filings, but the production and distribution of bankruptcy notices are halted.
Federal bankruptcy courts across the United States are unable to send official notices to creditors and attorneys following a cybersecurity incident. The disruption began on October 9 and has persisted for one week, affecting the entire notification pipeline managed by contractor BAE Systems Inc.
BAE Systems Inc., the US subsidiary of the British defence contractor, operates the Bankruptcy Noticing Center on behalf of the federal judiciary. The incident has rendered all BNC systems and associated websites inaccessible. This includes key domains such as bnc.uscourts.gov, bankruptcynotices.uscourts.gov, and notices.uscourts.gov, according to the official judiciary statement.
Impact on Court Operations
The outage prevents the centre from generating and distributing notices required for federal bankruptcy cases nationwide. The Administrative Office of the US Courts confirmed that several online services supporting these systems went offline following the incident involving the contractor. Reuters reported that the disruption affects every federal bankruptcy court in the country.
While courts are still accepting new case filings, the specific function of sending deadline notifications and messages to creditors is broken. Electronic notifications to registered attorneys continue to be sent, but any process tied directly to the noticing pipeline remains dark since last Thursday.
Who Is Affected
Creditors, courts, and attorneys involved in federal bankruptcy cases are directly affected by this outage. Attorneys using the electronic filing system cannot generate the creditor mailing lists they normally need to serve documents. The National Creditor Registration Service is also down, further complicating the ability to manage case communications effectively.
Our take on the response
The judiciary has issued a clear statement confirming the scope of the outage and the systems involved. However, no timeline for restoration has been provided in the available reports. The fact that electronic notifications to registered attorneys are still going out suggests that not all communication channels are impacted, but the core noticing function remains disabled.
What affected people can do
Teams should verify whether they have received critical deadlines through alternative channels, such as direct email from opposing counsel or court clerks. Check internal logs for any missed automated alerts from the noticing centre. Be vigilant for phishing attempts that exploit this confusion, as attackers often mimic official court communications during outages. Confirm the status of any pending filings directly with the relevant court clerk’s office to ensure no procedural defaults occur while the system remains offline.
What to do and how to stay safe: BAE Systems
- Monitor official judiciary communications for updates on the restoration of the Bankruptcy Noticing Center services.
- Verify the status of time-sensitive bankruptcy deadlines directly with court clerks or opposing counsel.
- Scrutinise any unexpected emails claiming to be from the court or BAE Systems for signs of phishing.
- Document all alternative communication efforts to demonstrate due diligence in case of procedural disputes.
Step-by-step guide: Detect Online Tracking: Signs in Logs, Browsers and Network Traffic
General security guidance from the Breach Observer newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Bankruptcy Noticing Center still offline?
Yes, the Bankruptcy Noticing Center has been offline since October 9 due to a cybersecurity incident at BAE Systems.
Can attorneys still file new bankruptcy cases?
Yes, courts are still accepting new case filings and electronic notifications to registered attorneys are still going out.
Which specific websites are affected by this incident?
Affected domains include bnc.uscourts.gov, bankruptcynotices.uscourts.gov, notices.uscourts.gov, and the National Creditor Registration Service.