Cyberattack Halts US Federal Bankruptcy Notices Nationwide

A cyberattack on government contractor BAE Systems has significantly disrupted US federal bankruptcy court operations, stopping the production and distribution of notices since October 9, 2026[2][3]. This incident has forced federal courts nationwide to adopt emergency measures for bankruptcy proceedings[2][7].

The disruption impacts critical administrative functions across the country, affecting individuals and businesses involved in bankruptcy cases who rely on timely notifications regarding filings, claims deadlines, hearings, and discharge orders[3][5]. Without proper notice delivery, registered creditors and other parties may miss important legal developments or actions required to protect their rights[5][10].

What the records show

The Administrative Office of the US Courts (AOUSC) confirmed on October 15, 2026, that a cybersecurity incident affected BAE Systems IT and websites supporting the Bankruptcy Noticing Center (BNC)[4][9]. The BNC, operated by BAE Systems for the federal judiciary, is responsible for transmitting notices for every federal bankruptcy court[4][11]. The attack rendered all access to BNC systems and websites, including bnc.uscourts.gov, bankruptcynotices.uscourts.gov, and notices.uscourts.gov, unavailable[5]. This outage is a significant impediment to the core administrative functions of the judiciary[5].

The timeline

The cyberattack began on October 9, 2026, leading to an immediate halt in notice production and distribution[2][3]. Initially, a note posted on a US Bankruptcy court website, likely on October 13, referred only to a "nationwide service interruption"[4]. The AOUSC publicly confirmed the cybersecurity incident on October 15, 2026[4][9].

What changed and for whom

Federal bankruptcy courts have implemented emergency measures to manage ongoing cases[7]. The US Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, for example, issued Standing Order 26-217, requiring bankruptcy participants to temporarily handle notices that the BNC would normally provide[7]. Similarly, the Bankruptcy Court of the Eastern District of Texas extended any active motion to stay by 30 days for cases filed on or after September 14[7]. Courts continue to accept filings, open cases, and process documents, but the absence of the BNC system adds administrative burden and costs for practitioners[7]. This incident follows previous cybersecurity incidents affecting the US federal judiciary in 2025 and early 2020[8].

What BAE Systems has said publicly

BAE Systems, a British multinational and Europe's largest defense contractor, acknowledged the incident[6]. A spokesperson stated, "We are aware of a security incident that is isolated to the BNC system and have taken immediate steps to address it. We are coordinating closely with AOUSC on the response"[6]. BAE Systems provides various services globally, including enterprise IT, cloud infrastructure, and cybersecurity[6].

What we could not confirm

As of the current reporting date, the precise nature of the cyber incident has not been disclosed[10]. It is also unconfirmed whether data was accessed or exfiltrated during the attack[10]. Neither the AOUSC nor BAE Systems has provided a specific timeline for the full restoration of services[10].