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A Security Nightmare Unfolds in the United States Judiciary
A recent investigation by a security researcher has uncovered a startling reality within the US judiciary. Sensitive court filings, corporate secrets, and confidential information have been left vulnerable to exploitation on the open internet. This exposé sheds light on the alarming lack of cybersecurity measures in place, putting millions of Americans at risk.
The Investigation Unfolds
The researcher, who wishes to remain anonymous, spent hundreds of unpaid hours pouring over court records systems across the country. Their findings are both astonishing and disturbing. Multiple court record systems have been found to be vulnerable to exploitation, with some allowing access to sensitive documents by simply incrementing through numerically sequential document numbers.
A Glimpse into the Affected Counties
The investigation has implicated at least five counties in Florida, where the affected court records systems were developed in-house. The researcher notified these counties via the state courts administrator’s office, but only one county has confirmed that they have fixed the vulnerability and ruled out improper access to sensitive records.
Sarasota County’s Response
One of the affected counties, Sarasota County, acknowledged the issue and took swift action to rectify it. In a letter provided to TechCrunch, Sarasota County Clerk Karen Rushing stated: "The review of our access logs revealed no occurrences where sealed or confidential information was accessed." The county disputed the existence of a second flaw reported by the researcher.
Other Affected Counties Remain Silent
However, other affected counties in Florida have refused to comment on the matter. Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa, would not confirm if its systems were patched following the disclosure, while Lee County reserved the right to take legal action against the security researcher.
Gov-Tech: A Broken System?
The researcher’s investigation has highlighted the dire need for improvement in government tech applications. "Gov-tech is broken," they stated. The lack of cybersecurity measures in place has left sensitive information vulnerable to exploitation. This exposé serves as a wake-up call for policymakers and administrators to prioritize security and ensure that critical systems are protected from potential threats.
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Contact the Author
You can reach Zack Whittaker, the security editor at TechCrunch, via Signal and WhatsApp at +1 646-755-8849 or by email at zack.whittaker@techcrunch.com. SecureDrop is also available for submissions.
Topics Covered
- courts
- cybersecurity
- Exclusive
- judiciary
- Security
- security vulnerability
- United States
- vulnerability