The International Criminal Court (ICC) made a concerning announcement on Tuesday regarding a recent cybersecurity breach, highlighting a breach at one of the world’s most prominent international institutions.
Last week, the ICC detected unusual activity on its computer network, prompting an immediate and ongoing response to investigate the extent and impact of the breach. A spokesperson for the ICC declined to comment on the severity of the hack, whether it has been fully resolved, or identify potential perpetrators.
In a brief statement, the ICC conveyed, “Immediate measures were adopted to respond to this cybersecurity incident and to mitigate its impact.”
The ICC, headquartered in The Hague, is the permanent war crimes tribunal established in 2002, tasked with trying war crimes and crimes against humanity. Presently, the court’s prosecutors are engaged in 17 investigations across various regions, including Ukraine, Uganda, Venezuela, Afghanistan, and the Philippines.
The Dutch intelligence agency (AIVD) highlighted the ICC’s significance in its 2022 annual report, noting that it is “of interest to Russia because it is investigating possible Russian war crimes in Georgia and Ukraine.”
In a separate statement made in August 2023, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan cautioned that cyber attacks could become a component of future war crimes investigations, emphasizing the need for the ICC to enhance its cybersecurity defenses.
Khan stressed that cyber-related activities, such as disinformation, data destruction, alterations, and leaks of confidential information, may obstruct the administration of justice at the ICC, qualifying as crimes within the court’s jurisdiction that could warrant investigation and prosecution.
The global community awaits further updates from the ICC regarding the breach and the steps being taken to secure sensitive data and ensure the integrity of ongoing investigations.
