Investigators have found evidence that Russia is at least partly responsible for the recent cyber-intrusion that compromised the U.S. federal judiciary’s electronic case management and public access systems, according to officials cited by the New York Times. The breach, detected in early July, affected both the Case Management/Electronic Case Files (CM/ECF) platform used by courts and lawyers and the PACER database used by the public. Hackers reportedly searched mid-level criminal dockets in New York and other jurisdictions and accessed sealed documents tied to espionage, money-laundering and other sensitive matters, potentially exposing the identities of confidential informants. Three people familiar with the probe told Bloomberg Law the attackers targeted trial courts in at least three federal circuits. The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts confirmed a cyberattack on 7 Aug and warned Justice Department staff and chief judges that “persistent and sophisticated cyber-threat actors” had compromised sealed records. In response, courts from Virginia to California have ordered that highly sensitive or sealed filings be submitted on paper or through isolated networks until further notice. A senior U.S. official told Politico the incident stems from “rudimentary security issues” that have lingered since at least 2020, when Russian hackers exploited SolarWinds software to penetrate multiple government systems, including parts of the judiciary. Several congressional committees have been briefed on the latest breach and have requested a classified follow-up in September, while the Justice Department and FBI continue to investigate.