Updated guides address evolving threats with practical tools for planning, response, and recovery

October 8, 2025

New JTC bulletins give courts playbooks for cyber resilience

Two newly updated cybersecurity resources give courts practical guidance to strengthen operations, safeguard sensitive data, and maintain public trust.
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Cyberattacks targeting the judicial branch continue to rise in frequency, sophistication, and impact — from ransomware incidents to data breaches that disrupt public services and expose sensitive information.

To help courts prepare and respond, the Joint Technology Committee (JTC) has released updated editions of two resource bulletins: “Cybersecurity Basics for Courts” and “Cybersecurity Incident Planning and Response for Courts.”

"As threats become more advanced, courts must view cybersecurity as fundamental to judicial operations and public trust," said JTC Co-Chair Paul DeLosh, director of judicial services at the Supreme Court of Virginia. "Courts that plan carefully, test their strategies, and involve everyone — from judges to clerks to external partners — will be best positioned to withstand an incident and recover quickly."

Timely updates
The 2025 bulletins equip court leaders, administrators, and IT staff with comprehensive, court-specific planning tools and actionable frameworks that reflect today’s threat environment, lessons learned from recent incidents, and new national resources.

October is recognized nationally as Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The release of these updated bulletins offers courts a timely opportunity to review resources, refresh training, and strengthen preparedness.

Highlights from the updated bulletins include:
Cybersecurity Basics for Courts ( https://news.ncsc.org/c/AQjLzRUQpLQyGOfy74wBIOrTtwwoj0Fj9Zqp9-G7WmRTMY3_f6nlpvJL5JXMBJSGD_aR2g ): Expands from introductory awareness to a comprehensive, court-specific playbook. New content includes real-world court incident examples, updated statistics, governance tools, continuity of operations structures, advanced strategies, and a cybersecurity discussion guide.Cybersecurity Incident Planning and Response for Courts ( https://news.ncsc.org/c/AQjLzRUQpLQyGOfy74wBIOvTtwzBJWh_8jAG-Qh03OXh4CQU90JgLb4t1IE0xaTFFvWYYg ): Shifts reactive guidance to a proactive, enterprise-wide planning framework. Updates emphasize governance, communication strategies with legal compliance considerations, operational continuity planning, and training exercises, featuring the NCSC Cybersecurity Workbook developed as part of a State Justice Institute (SJI) funded series of cybersecurity workshops.Both bulletins: Reinforce the importance of tabletop exercises, interagency coordination, vendor oversight, and leveraging free federal and state resources.

The JTC is a collaboration of NCSC, the Conference of State Court Administrators (COSCA), and the National Association for Court Management (NACM).

Visit the JTC resources page ( https://news.ncsc.org/c/AQjLzRUQpLQyGOfy74wBIOzTtwz-KG4tl3bysXXn_2AG2hTHwZYa1dUdKZVfwc2Do0WX1w ) for links to both bulletins and additional cybersecurity planning tools.

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Featured resource: Strengthening families through a court-led, community-based approach

Courts in Missouri are adopting proactive community collaboration to reduce the need for formal system intervention. Read our case study ( https://news.ncsc.org/c/AQjLzRUQpLQyGOfy74wBIO3TtwxDfaR5A762WZNUTE64CpxJ5f-anJe8lfq8V7GHphlvEg ) and discover how our Upstream approach is helping courts ensure families have access to support before a crisis turns into court involvement.

Around the Center

Webinar: On the road to end human trafficking
Thursday, Oct. 9, 1 p.m. ET

Learn how courts can encourage awareness of human trafficking through a 45-minute interactive course available to CDL holders.For more information and to register, visit our event page ( https://news.ncsc.org/c/AQjLzRUQpLQyGOfy74wBIO7Ttwx7MnFmxRUkIDLt7tmolXlqPZTqdEUsYJDFjqlNkgCJSQ ).

Opportunity: 2025 NCSC/JTC court cybersecurity virtual tabletop exercise
Wednesday, Oct. 29, 1-3 p.m. ET

Join us via Zoom for a free, interactive cybersecurity tabletop exercise (vTTX) designed specifically for courts of all levels. Sponsored by the JTC and facilitated by experts from NCSC and the Center for Internet Security (CIS), the exercise is open to professionals from courts, counties, and municipalities who play a role in incident response.For more information and to register, visit our opportunity page ( https://news.ncsc.org/c/AQjLzRUQpLQyGOfy74wBIO_TtwymfZhwMZ12d2JuxiKPSQcpGDkoDJld8jYktoosT4YFAQ ).

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