The International Criminal Court said criminals breached it’s IT systems last week
The International Criminal Court (ICC) which deals with highly sensitive war crime information has confirmed that it had suffered a cyberattack last week.
ICC mentioned in the official statement that “Immediate steps were taken to respond to this cyber security incident and to reduce its impact.” It also said that ICC detected unusual activity on its computer network at the end of last week, triggering a response that is still ongoing. Although, the official spokesperson of the organisation has denied commenting on the issue.
The International Criminal Court (ICC), based in The Hague, Netherlands, is a permanent tribunal established in 2002 to address war crimes and crimes against humanity. Presently, ICC prosecutors are conducting 17 investigations in various regions, including Ukraine, Uganda, Venezuela, Afghanistan, and the Philippines.
In March, the ICC gained international attention by issuing an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, alleging his involvement in the illegal deportation of children from Ukraine. The Kremlin has vehemently denied the allegations and challenged the court’s jurisdiction.
Highly sensitive documents within the ICC encompass criminal evidence and the identities of protected witnesses, although the specific areas of system access remain undisclosed.
The ICC has stated its commitment to analysing and mitigating the impact of this incident, with support from the Dutch government, and it is taking steps to bolster its cybersecurity.
The Dutch Ministry of Justice confirmed that the National Cyber Security Centre has assisted in the investigation but declined to provide further details.
Marie-Hélène Proulx, President of the ICC Bar Association, noted that lawyers representing both defendants and victims have been affected by unspecified security measures implemented in response to the incident. She expressed support for efforts to secure the court’s information system and hopes for a prompt resolution.
In its 2022 annual report, the Dutch Intelligence Service (AIVD) highlighted the ICC’s significance to Russia due to its investigations into potential Russian war crimes in Georgia and Ukraine. In June 2022, AIVD revealed the discovery of Russian military agents posing as Brazilian citizens in an attempt to infiltrate the judiciary.