Pasadena Courthouse Open After Ransomware Attack on LA County Superior Court Houses

The Pasadena Superior Court reopened Tuesday morning after a ransomware attack forced the LA Superior Court system to close on Monday.

“The Court is working diligently to get the Court’s network systems back up and running in the wake of the ransomware attack on Friday, July 19 in partnership with outside consultants, vendors, other courts and law enforcement to get the Court’s network systems back online,” a statement on the court’s website read on Tuesday morning.

Ransomware locks and encrypts a victim’s data, files, devices or systems, rendering them inaccessible and unusable until the attacker receives a ransom payment typically in cryptocurrency. 

Details of the demands have not been made public. 

“As a result of the tireless work of court staff and security experts, the Court has opened all 36 courthouses effective July 23. Court users should expect delays and potential impacts due to limits in functionality.”

Presiding Judge Samantha P. Jessner said in a statement late Sunday night the court experienced an unprecedented cyber-attack on Friday which resulted in the need to shut down nearly all network systems in order to contain the damage, protect the integrity and confidentiality of information and ensure future network stability and security.

Soon after the hack was detected, the court’s Technology Services Division immediately shut down network computer systems “to mitigate further harm.”