Key points
- BAE Systems operates the Bankruptcy Noticing Center on behalf of the US Federal Judiciary.
- Access to key noticing websites and the National Creditor Registration Service is currently unavailable.
- The Administrative Office of the US Courts confirms the incident but provides no attribution or data breach details.
Legal practitioners and creditors relying on the US federal bankruptcy system are currently unable to receive official notices or access key online services. This disruption stems from a cybersecurity incident affecting BAE Systems, the British multinational contractor responsible for operating the Bankruptcy Noticing Center (BNC) on behalf of the Federal Judiciary. The outage prevents the production and transmission of notices for every federal bankruptcy court in the United States.
The Administrative Office of the US Courts confirmed the disruption in a statement, noting that BAE Systems’ IT infrastructure and websites supporting BNC operations have been impacted. As a result, all access to systems operated by BAE for the judiciary is unavailable. This includes critical portals such as bnc.uscourts.gov, bankruptcynotices.uscourts.gov, and notices.uscourts.gov. The National Creditor Registration Service is also offline, halting the entire noticing process for bankruptcy courts nationwide.
Operational context and vendor response
BAE Systems, a major defence and security firm headquartered in London, stated it is aware of the security incident. The company confirmed the issue is isolated to the BNC system and that immediate steps have been taken to address it. BAE Systems is coordinating closely with the Administrative Office of the US Courts on the response and is actively investigating the incident while working to restore operations. No details regarding attribution or the nature of the attack have been released.
Who is affected and data exposure
The primary impact is on the distribution of bankruptcy notices, which are essential legal documents for creditors, debtors, and courts. The incident has paused the production and distribution of these notices, meaning stakeholders cannot access or send them through standard channels. Authorities have not confirmed whether any data was accessed or exfiltrated during the incident. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency referred questions about the attack to the US Courts, indicating no separate federal agency response has been detailed for the public.
Our take on the response
The swift coordination between BAE Systems and the Administrative Office of the US Courts suggests a structured incident response is underway. By isolating the incident to the BNC system, the vendor aims to contain potential lateral movement within the broader judiciary network. The lack of immediate public clarification on data exposure is standard in the early stages of such investigations, as verifying the integrity of systems takes time. Affected parties should monitor official court communications for updates on service restoration and alternative methods for receiving notices.
What affected people can do
Legal teams and creditors should verify the status of their cases directly with local bankruptcy court clerks, as online systems remain unavailable. Monitor official emails from the Administrative Office of the US Courts for updates on service restoration. Be vigilant for phishing attempts claiming to offer alternative access to case documents or notices, as attackers often exploit service outages. Do not click on unsolicited links or download attachments from unexpected sources promising immediate resolution. Maintain offline records of critical case deadlines where possible to mitigate the impact of the notice delay.
What to do and how to stay safe: BAE Systems
- Verify the status of pending bankruptcy cases directly through local court clerks or official phone lines, as online portals are down.
- Monitor official communications from the Administrative Office of the US Courts for updates on service restoration and alternative procedures.
- Exercise heightened caution against phishing emails or messages claiming to provide alternative access to case documents or notices.
- Keep offline records of critical case deadlines and deadlines for filings to ensure compliance during the service interruption.
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
Which websites are currently offline due to the BAE Systems cyberattack?
The offline sites include bnc.uscourts.gov, bankruptcynotices.uscourts.gov, notices.uscourts.gov, and the National Creditor Registration Service.
Has BAE Systems confirmed if any data was stolen in this incident?
No, there is no official confirmation or clarification on whether any data was exposed or accessed during the incident.
Is the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) leading the investigation?
No, CISA referred questions about the attack to the US Courts, which are coordinating with BAE Systems on the response.