BAE Systems Manages Disruption to US Bankruptcy Court Systems
A cybersecurity incident involving BAE Systems has halted electronic and paper notice distribution for US bankruptcy courts nationwide.
Key points
- The Bankruptcy Noticing Center systems are offline while BAE Systems investigates the cause.
- The disruption began on October 9 and affects all federal bankruptcy courts in the US.
- The Eastern District of Texas extended certain stay motions by 30 days due to the outage.
A cybersecurity incident involving systems managed by BAE Systems has disrupted operations for US bankruptcy courts. The Administrative Office of the US Courts confirmed that the Bankruptcy Noticing Center was pulled offline while the vendor investigates the cause of the failure.
The outage prevents the production and distribution of bankruptcy notices for federal courts across the country. Officials stated that access to the BNC systems and related websites is currently unavailable. This includes key portals such as bnc.uscourts.gov and the National Creditor Registration Service.
Context and Background
The Administrative Office of the US Courts announced the incident on Thursday, but the technical issues started earlier. According to the Bankruptcy Court of the Eastern District of Texas, the problems affecting the BNC systems began on October 9. BAE Systems, a UK-based defense and security company, runs the affected infrastructure on behalf of the Federal Judiciary.
BAE Systems is working to restore operations, though it did not immediately respond to requests for further details. The disruption highlights ongoing challenges for the US public sector, which has struggled with multiple recent cyberattacks. The exact nature of the incident remains under investigation by the vendor.
Who Is Affected
The halt in notice distribution impacts all federal bankruptcy courts nationwide. The Bankruptcy Court of the Eastern District of Texas issued a general order addressing the delay. For cases filed on or after September 14 with an active motion to stay, the delay is extended by an additional 30 days.
Courts will continue to accept filings, open cases, and process documents during the outage. However, the entry and service of notices and orders may be delayed until the systems are restored. Both electronic and paper bankruptcy notices are affected by the current unavailability of the BNC systems.
What should you do?
Legal professionals and creditors should monitor official court announcements for updates on system restoration. Check individual court websites for specific local orders regarding filing deadlines and notice delays. Verify the status of active cases directly with court clerks if electronic notices are not received.
What to do and how to stay safe: BAE Systems
- Monitor official US Courts announcements for updates on system restoration timelines.
- Check individual bankruptcy court websites for local orders regarding filing deadlines.
- Verify the status of active cases directly with court clerks if notices are missing.
- Maintain manual records of filings and communications until electronic systems resume normal operations.
Step-by-step guide: Social Engineering Warning Signs and How to Respond
General security guidance from the Threat Times newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.
Frequently asked questions
Which systems are currently offline?
The Bankruptcy Noticing Center systems and related websites, including bnc.uscourts.gov and the National Creditor Registration Service, are unavailable.
When did the disruption begin?
According to the Bankruptcy Court of the Eastern District of Texas, the issues affecting the BNC systems began on October 9.
Are courts still accepting filings?
Yes, courts will continue to accept filings, open cases, and process documents, though notice distribution is halted.
