The recent cyberattack on the International Criminal Court (ICC) was not a random incident but a deliberate act of espionage, aimed at undermining the Court’s mandate and compromising sensitive data.

The ICC, based in The Hague, initially reported a “cybersecurity incident” in September, raising concerns about the potential compromise of confidential information related to war crime investigations and witness identities. Now, the ICC has confirmed that the attack was a targeted and sophisticated act of espionage.

The Court has conducted a forensic analysis of the incident with the support of the Netherlands, its host state, and external cybersecurity experts. While there is no evidence of data compromise at present, the ICC is taking all necessary steps to address any potential compromise and will immediately inform those affected if evidence of specific data compromise is found.

It is currently unclear who is responsible for the attack, and Dutch law enforcement authorities are conducting a criminal investigation. In response to the incident, the ICC is reinforcing its risk management framework and implementing measures to respond to potential repercussions from the cyberattack. The Court is also accelerating initiatives to enhance its digital security.

This attack comes at a time of heightened security concerns for the ICC, with several elected officials, including judges and the prosecutor, facing criminal proceedings. The Court has also experienced persistent attempts to disrupt its systems and even averted an attempt to infiltrate a hostile intelligence officer disguised as an intern.

The confirmation that the cyberattack was an espionage attempt has raised concerns about the safety of data held by the ICC. William Wright, CEO of Closed Door Security, suggests that given the information held by the Court, this attack was not a random occurrence but a deliberate act targeting sensitive data.

In conclusion, the ICC’s recent cyberattack was not a random incident but a sophisticated act of espionage. While there is currently no evidence of data compromise, the Court is taking steps to address any potential compromise and enhance its digital security. The attack underscores the broader security concerns faced by the ICC and the need to protect sensitive information related to war crime investigations.