US Courts confirm BAE outage halts bankruptcy notices nationwide with no restoration timeline

A cyberattack on government contractor BAE Systems has stopped the production and distribution of bankruptcy notices for federal courts across the United States. The Administrative Office of the US Courts announced the disruption on October 15, confirming that the incident has halted the noticing process for all federal bankruptcy courts nationwide.

The risk

The outage prevents the Bankruptcy Noticing Center from sending official alerts to creditors, debtors, and trustees. These notices contain critical information about filings, hearing dates, deadlines, and case outcomes. Without these communications, parties may miss legal deadlines or remain unaware of significant developments in their cases. The judiciary has not stated how the delay will impact court schedules or legal obligations.

Who is exposed

BAE Systems operates the IT infrastructure for the Bankruptcy Noticing Center on behalf of the Federal Judiciary. The incident has rendered all access to BNC systems and websites unavailable. Affected sites include bnc.uscourts.gov, bankruptcynotices.uscourts.gov, notices.uscourts.gov, and the National Creditor Registration Service. The disruption impacts every federal bankruptcy district in the US simultaneously.

Cost and compliance

The judiciary has not disclosed the nature of the incident, such as whether it involves ransomware, intrusion, or data theft. Officials have not confirmed if any data was accessed or exfiltrated. No indicators of compromise, threat actor attribution, or CVE identifiers have been published. BAE Systems stated it is investigating the incident and working to restore operations, but no restoration timeline has been provided.

What should you do?

Affected parties should monitor their local court websites for guidance on deadlines and procedural updates. Legal teams should verify case statuses directly with court clerks if possible. Organizations should review their vendor risk management practices, particularly for critical infrastructure providers.

The background in plain language

Third-party risk occurs when an organization relies on external vendors for critical services. A failure or compromise at the vendor can disrupt the client’s operations, even if the client’s own systems are secure. In this case, the judiciary outsourced its noticing infrastructure to a contractor. This highlights the importance of understanding dependency chains. Teams usually assess vendor security posture and continuity plans. Check whether your organization has similar critical dependencies on external providers.

What to do and how to stay safe: BAE Systems

• Monitor official court websites for updates on service restoration and deadline adjustments.
• Contact local court clerks directly to verify case statuses and hearing dates.
• Review internal procedures for receiving legal notices to identify alternative communication channels.
• Assess your organization’s reliance on third-party vendors for critical operational functions.

Step-by-step guide: Smartphone Privacy Settings: What They Hide and What They Leak

General security guidance from the Vector Tribune newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.

Frequently asked questions

When will the bankruptcy noticing system be back online?

No timeline for service restoration has been provided by the judiciary or BAE Systems.

Was any sensitive data stolen in the attack?

The judiciary has not disclosed whether any data was accessed or exfiltrated.

Which specific systems are affected by the outage?

All BNC systems and websites operated by BAE, including the National Creditor Registration Service, are unavailable.