The United States Bankruptcy Court system is grappling with a significant cybersecurity incident that has disrupted the operations of the Bankruptcy Noticing Center (BNC), the entity responsible for processing and transmitting bankruptcy notices nationwide. Since October 9, 2026, this disruption has affected all federal bankruptcy courts, leading to delays in the delivery of critical notices and orders.
According to an announcement from the Middle District of Alabama Bankruptcy Court, the outage has interrupted the BNC’s processing and delivery of notices and orders issued by the Court. As a result, parties who ordinarily receive notices and orders through the BNC may experience delays in receiving those documents. The outage is also affecting CM/ECF users’ ability to generate and print a List of Creditors. The outage does not affect the electronic delivery of Notices of Electronic Filing (NEFs), which continue to be generated and distributed normally through CM/ECF. At this time, we do not have an estimated date or time for restoration of services. The Court is exploring alternate means of providing notice of Court issued documents. Additionally, the following websites are unavailable: bnc.uscourts.gov, bankruptcynotices.uscourts.gov, notices.uscourts.gov, and the National Creditor Registration Service website that supports CM/ECF access to address labels. The Court will provide additional updates as information becomes available.
Similarly, the District of Connecticut Bankruptcy Court reported that the BNC has been experiencing a nationwide service disruption since October 9, 2026, affecting all U.S. Bankruptcy Courts. The outage has interrupted the BNC’s processing and delivery of notices and orders issued by the Court. As a result, parties who ordinarily receive notices and orders through the BNC may experience delays in receiving those documents. The outage is also affecting CM/ECF users’ ability to generate and print a List of Creditors. The outage does not affect the electronic delivery of Notices of Electronic Filing (NEFs), which continue to be generated and distributed normally through CM/ECF. Additionally, the following websites are unavailable: bnc.uscourts.gov, bankruptcynotices.uscourts.gov, notices.uscourts.gov, and the National Creditor Registration Service website that supports CM/ECF access to address labels. At this time, we do not have an estimated date or time for restoration of services. The Court will provide additional updates as information becomes available.
The Northern District of New York Bankruptcy Court also acknowledged the disruption, stating that during this disruption, the Court will continue to accept filings, open cases, and process documents according to standard procedures. However, the outage has interrupted the BNC’s processing and delivery of notices and orders issued by the Court. As a result, parties who ordinarily receive notices and orders through the BNC may experience delays in receiving those documents. The outage is also affecting CM/ECF users’ ability to generate and print a List of Creditors. The outage does not affect the electronic delivery of Notices of Electronic Filing (NEFs), which continue to be generated and distributed normally through CM/ECF. Additionally, the following websites are unavailable: bnc.uscourts.gov, bankruptcynotices.uscourts.gov, notices.uscourts.gov, and the National Creditor Registration Service website that supports CM/ECF access to address labels. At this time, we do not have an estimated date or time for restoration of services. The Court will provide additional updates as information becomes available.
While the exact nature and origin of the cyberattack remain under investigation, this incident underscores the growing vulnerability of critical judicial infrastructure to cyber threats. The disruption has not only delayed the dissemination of essential legal documents but also raised concerns about the security of sensitive information handled by the bankruptcy courts.
This breach is part of a troubling trend of cyberattacks targeting judicial systems. For instance, the Arizona Supreme Court recently suffered a cyberattack that compromised the personal data of over 1.3 million individuals, primarily those with unpaid court fees or fines for traffic and criminal violations dating back 30 years. The breach, which began when a court employee clicked on a malicious email link, also exposed nearly 30,000 active and inactive protection orders and 150,000 foster care reports from cases involving potentially unfit parents, dating back to 2010. The court’s tech staff detected and shut down the attack within two hours on September 24, 2026. Although the breach is under investigation, officials reported no evidence of misuse or sharing of the stolen data. Importantly, no records were altered or deleted, and information regarding jurors, witnesses, or court employees was not compromised. Court proceedings remain unaffected. Notifications have been sent to all individuals impacted by the data breach.
In response to the current BNC outage, bankruptcy courts are exploring alternative methods to ensure the timely delivery of notices and orders. However, the lack of a definitive timeline for restoring full functionality highlights the challenges in mitigating such cyber incidents promptly.
Legal professionals and stakeholders are advised to monitor official court communications for updates and to exercise heightened vigilance in their electronic interactions with court systems. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of robust cybersecurity measures within the judicial sector to safeguard the integrity and reliability of legal processes.