Cyberattack on BAE Systems Halts US Federal Bankruptcy Notice Services

Key points

• The Administrative Office of the US Courts (AOUSC) confirmed on October 15 that a cyberattack on contractor BAE Systems has taken down the Bankruptcy Noticing Center (BNC).
• The outage has halted the production and distribution of bankruptcy notices for all federal bankruptcy courts nationwide.
• Affected systems include bnc.uscourts.gov, bankruptcynotices.uscourts.gov, notices.uscourts.gov, and the National Creditor Registration Service.
• BAE Systems, Europe's largest defense contractor and a major provider of government IT services, stated the incident is isolated to the BNC system.
• The US judiciary did not disclose the nature of the attack, when it began, or if data was exfiltrated, and no restoration timeline was given.
• This incident follows a 2025 cyberattack on the federal judiciary's electronic case management systems, which prompted stricter access controls for sensitive filings.

Background

This incident occurs amid a broader trend of cyberattacks disrupting critical infrastructure and government services in 2026. Recent examples include a cyberattack on Ahold Delhaize that disrupted digital retail services in October, and a suspected cyberattack on an LNG tanker in September. In the healthcare sector, a cyberattack on Luminis Health in September disrupted hospital systems in Maryland. The US federal judiciary also faced a cyberattack in 2025 that targeted its electronic case management systems, leading to enhanced security measures for sensitive documents.

How outlets are covering it

BleepingComputer, Infosecurity Magazine, and The Register all reported the disruption of the Bankruptcy Noticing Center due to a cyberattack on BAE Systems. BleepingComputer provided the most detailed context, including BAE Systems' role as a major defense and IT contractor and the previous 2025 cyberattack on the judiciary's case management systems. Infosecurity Magazine emphasized the lack of information from the judiciary regarding the nature of the incident or potential data breach. The Register's coverage was minimal, focusing primarily on the disruption without additional details. All sources cited a BAE Systems spokesperson confirming the incident was isolated to the BNC system and that they were coordinating with AOUSC.

Why it matters

The disruption of the Bankruptcy Noticing Center affects the legal process for all federal bankruptcy cases in the US, potentially delaying notifications to creditors and other parties. This highlights the vulnerability of critical government services that rely on private contractors for IT infrastructure. The incident also raises concerns about the security of government systems and the potential for data breaches, especially given the previous cyberattack on the judiciary's case management systems. The lack of information from the judiciary about the nature of the incident or potential data breach adds to the uncertainty and concern.

What to watch

BAE Systems is actively investigating the incident and working to restore operations, but no timeline has been provided. The Administrative Office of the US Courts is in communication with the affected courts and coordinating with BAE Systems. It remains unclear if any data was accessed or exfiltrated, and the nature of the cyberattack has not been disclosed. The federal judiciary may need to implement additional security measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.