Hackers who broke into Arizona’s court system copied backup files containing personal information on more than 1.3 million people, according to an updated notice from the Arizona Supreme Court reported by The Record from Recorded Future News on October 7.
What was taken
The largest set of records comes from the Fines/Fees and Restitution Enforcement (FARE) Program, a statewide program the courts use to collect debts tied to traffic and criminal violations. Those records go back 30 years and include names, Social Security numbers and case numbers for more than 1.3 million people.
The attackers also reached more than 150,000 Foster Care Review Board reports covering current and past cases dating back to 2010, including about 8,000 children who are currently in foster care. These reports can contain information about the children, statements from family members, investigative findings and administrative notes. Records of active and inactive protective orders, some of them containing sensitive information, were also affected.
According to the court system’s updated FAQ, federal and state investigators confirmed that the hackers “accessed and copied backup court files.”
How it happened
The attack began on September 24, and the Arizona Supreme Court announced the breach the following day. The intrusion continued until the court’s IT team shut the affected system down entirely.
Investigators believe it started with phishing: a court employee clicked a malicious link in an email. Phishing is still one of the most common ways attackers get their first foothold inside an organization, because a single click can hand over a password or run malicious code on a work computer.
A court spokesperson told Recorded Future News that the incident did not involve ransomware, meaning files were not encrypted and held for payment. As of October 7, no hacking group had claimed responsibility, and no ransom demand had been made for the stolen data.
What affected people should do
The courts are sending text messages to people affected through the FARE program and urging them to place holds on their credit. A credit freeze stops lenders from opening new accounts in your name, which is the main protection when a Social Security number has been exposed. Notifications about the foster care data went to the Department of Child Safety, attorneys representing parents, judges and members of the Foster Care Review Board.
Chief Justice Ann Scott Timmer has spoken with FBI Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day and is coordinating the recovery with state officials.
Court data has become a recurring target. Last month we reported on a breach of Thomson Reuters court software that exposed Social Security numbers and sealed records across 11 US states.
Sources
- The Record from Recorded Future News: Arizona courts say hackers stole info on more than 1.3 million people (October 7, 2026)
- Arizona Judicial Branch: Cybersecurity alert and FAQ
