The San Joaquin County Court is facing serious disruptions after a Cyberattack took down many of its online services.1
If you rely on these services, like paying fines or checking case details, you may have already noticed the problems. This attack is causing delays and making it harder for people to access important court information.
Here’s what you need to know.
San Joaquin County Court Hit By Cyberattack, Services Offline
The San Joaquin County Superior Court reported that most of its online services were knocked offline after an unknown Cyberattack in October 2024. The court handles cases such as traffic incidents, divorce, custody disputes, landlord-tenant issues, criminal cases, and small claims.
As of October 30, all online services were disrupted. This attack comes amid a wave of Ransomware incidents that have caused long delays in similar California social services systems.
The court notified nearly 800,000 residents of the tech issues on October 30 and confirmed the Cyberattack the following day stating, “We have determined these issues to be the result of a Cybersecurity incident. We took immediate and proactive steps to contain the event, which included isolating our systems from the Internet. As a result, part of our network remains offline.”
Court Services Disrupted In San Joaquin Cyberattack
The recent Cyberattack on the San Joaquin County Superior Court has caused several disruptions:
- Court hearings scheduled for a remote appearance on October 30, 2024, were rescheduled.
- Jurors for the week of October 28 and groups 138 through 150 were excused.
- Phone and fax services are offline.
- Juror reporting info and instructions are unavailable.
- Remote appearances are not possible.
- E-filing, traffic ODR, and support tickets are offline.
- The Court website and online services are down.
- Credit card processing and fee payments are not working.
Manual workarounds are in place, and in-person services are still available at all court locations. The Stockton courthouse, closed last month due to a bomb threat, has since reopened. There is no timeline for when online services will be restored.
No hacking group has claimed responsibility yet. The court system is working with third-party experts to restore online services.
It is unclear whether personal data was compromised or what caused the incident. This attack follows similar issues earlier this year when the Los Angeles County Superior Court was targeted by Ransomware, and Modesto also experienced a Ransomware attack in 2023.
What’s Next for San Joaquin County After The Cyberattack
The Los Angeles Superior Court’s Ransomware attack is under criminal investigation to determine the cause, scope, and data involved, and whether public funds were used to pay a ransom.
Similarly, San Joaquin County will likely face a similar investigation to understand how the breach occurred and how hackers were able to target these essential public systems.
Update: The following services are now working through the court’s website:
- Support from the Clerk’s Office
- eFiling
- Online Dispute Resolution for traffic tickets (paying fines, rescheduling hearings, reducing fines, requesting trials, etc.)
- Probate Notes and Tentative Rulings
However, due to the ongoing containment efforts, some services are still unavailable, both in-person and online:
- Credit card payments can’t be processed, but authorization can be submitted with your filing.
- Case Management Search
- Case Management Tutorials
- Ability to Pay requests
- Online Records Request
- Juror notification subscription
Being Prepared For Cyberattacks
Being prepared for Cyberattacks is essential to protect your data, reputation, and business. Cyberattacks can cause major disruptions, financial losses, and hurt customer trust. To reduce the risk, make sure you have a firm Cybersecurity plan with backups, insurance, and employee training.
It’s also important to have endpoint protection as part of your incident response plan, so you’re protected across all devices. This will help you act fast, minimize damage, and recover the way that you need to.
FAQ
What Happened At San Joaquin County Court Cyber Incident?
The San Joaquin County Court was hit by a Cyberattack that caused most of its online services to go offline. The court worked to contain the issue, but some services, like e-filing and case searches, remain unavailable. The court is still investigating the cause and working to restore full services.
Can An Organization Survive A Cyberattack?
Yes, an organization can survive a Cyberattack, but it depends on its resources. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are especially vulnerable, with about 60% failing within six months of an attack.
Who Is Responsible For Protecting Your Organization From Cyberattacks?
Your organization is responsible for protecting itself from Cyberattacks. While basic security measures are important, 2Secure recommends having specialized skills and knowledge to effectively manage risks and recover from attacks. Investing in experts can help ensure your security systems are strong and your team is ready to respond to threats.
Source:
- Cybersecurity Incident 2024 – Superior Court of CA – County of San Joaquin. (2024). Sjcourts.org. https://www.sjcourts.org/cybersecurity-incident-2024/
