Chief Justice Marla Luckert provides update on the restoration of the Kansas court system following a cyberattack
Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert announced on Tuesday that the information system used by over 100 district courts in Kansas, which was crippled in an early October cyberattack, could potentially be restored by the end of December. The cyberattack disrupted the electronic filing of documents and the processing of court cases, with the judicial branch disclosing the incident in 104 out of 105 counties. While the recovery plan is subject to change, the judicial branch is working diligently to restore the Kansas eCourt system and the Kansas Courts eFiling system.
Restoring the System:
The cyberattack, carried out by sophisticated international criminals, prompted the judicial branch to take immediate action to address the disruption. Last week, secure computer access was set up at the Judicial Center in Topeka, allowing the public to search district court case information by appointment only. Additionally, a separate service center was established to address the needs of district courts during the recovery process.
Chief Justice Luckert emphasized that the recovery timeline is based on input from cybersecurity incident recovery experts. While the estimated timeline is considered realistic, the judicial branch remains prepared for potential fluctuations as they progress with their plan.
District Courts and Johnson County:
The judicial branch plans to prioritize the restoration of the Kansas eCourt and the Kansas Courts eFiling system for district courts before enabling the District Court Public Access Portal, which provides the general public with access to case information. The portal is typically used for electronic payment of fines, fees, and other costs. District court systems will be secured and brought back online before the efiling and case management systems for the Supreme Court and the Kansas Court of Appeals are restored.
It is worth noting that Johnson County, which operates on an independent network, was not affected by the cyberattack. However, it is scheduled to join the Kansas eCourt system in 2024, aligning with the state’s efforts to streamline court operations.
Conclusion:
The Kansas court system is diligently working towards restoring its information system following a cyberattack that disrupted the electronic filing and processing of court cases. Chief Justice Marla Luckert expressed optimism that the system could be restored by the end of December, but acknowledged that the timeline is subject to change. As the judicial branch continues to implement its recovery plan, the focus remains on securing district court systems before restoring the efiling and case management systems for higher courts. The incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing threat posed by cybercriminals and the importance of robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard critical systems.
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