International Criminal Court swats away 'sophisticated and targeted' cyberattack

 

Body stays coy on details but alludes to similarities with 2023 espionage campaign

The International Criminal Court (ICC) says a "sophisticated" cyberattack targeted the institution, the second such incident in two years.

It said the attack was detected and contained, and that mitigating steps are already being taken to manage its effects.

The ICC did not detail what these "effects" were, nor did it elaborate on exactly what kind of attack it contained.

However, it said the latest effort was the "second of this type" since 2023, referring to the one that hit the court's war crimes tribunal as it was probing Russia in connection with its illegal invasion of Ukraine.

At the time, the ICC said it was a "targeted and sophisticated attack with the objective of espionage," but did not attribute the assault to any group or nation.

It came during a period of heightened security concerns for the court, with senior officials and judges undergoing criminal proceedings and defenders batting away daily, persistent raids on ICC infrastructure.

As part of this heightened tension, the court also allegedly foiled a plot to plant a hostile spy within its ranks, a person said to have been disguised as an intern.

Of the latest strike, the ICC said: "The court considers it essential to inform the public and its States Parties about such incidents as well as efforts to address them, and calls for continued support in the face of such challenges.

"Such support ensures the Court's capacity to implement its critical mandate of justice and accountability, which is a shared responsibility of all States Parties."