Hackers breached the International Criminal Court in cyber espionage attack

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The ICC is unable to attribute the attack, but says it was “targeted and sophisticated”

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The International Criminal Court (ICC) has released more information relating to a cyber attack that recently took place and saw internal systems attacked.

In a statement made at the time, the court said, “The International Criminal Court's services detected anomalous activity affecting its information systems," and has now disclosed more information as well as plans for strengthening its cyberdefenses.

The ICC is responsible for storing and investigating evidence related to war crimes and genocide. Following the identification of a potential breach to its systems, “"Immediate measures were adopted to respond to this cybersecurity incident and to mitigate its impact."

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“A targeted and sophisticated attack”

The ICC does not have sufficient evidence to identify who was responsible for the attack, but stated, “The evidence available thus far indicates a targeted and sophisticated attack with the objective of espionage. The attack can therefore be interpreted as a serious attempt to undermine the Court’s mandate.”

No further detail has been given on if any data was successfully accessed by hackers, but the ICC has said it will immediately alert those involved if any evidence suggests so.

One of the most notable warrants issued by the court was an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, issued in March 2023, with regard to crimes committed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The ICC has been a continuous target of cyberattacks, and has prioritized upgrading its cyberdefense following the attack. Due to the nature of the data it holds, the ICC is focusing on enhancing its risk management framework in case evidence has been stolen, putting witnesses and victims at risk.

Via BleepingComputer

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Benedict Collins
Benedict Collins
Senior Writer, Security

Benedict is a Senior Security Writer at TechRadar Pro, where he has specialized in covering the intersection of geopolitics, cyber-warfare, and business security.

Benedict provides detailed analysis on state-sponsored threat actors, APT groups, and the protection of critical national infrastructure, with his reporting bridging the gap between technical threat intelligence and B2B security strategy.

Benedict holds an MA (Distinction) in Security, Intelligence, and Diplomacy from the University of Buckingham Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies (BUCSIS), with his specialization providing him with a robust academic framework for deconstructing complex international conflicts and intelligence operations, and the ability to translate intricate security data into actionable insights.