Courts extend pause on Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office cases as cyberattack’s fallout continues
The Pa. Attorney General's Office suffered a ransomware attack in August. No payments have been made and a small number of individuals whose information was impacted were contacted, the agency said.
Philadelphia courts have extended a pause on cases involving the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, as the state’s top law enforcement agency continues to contend with the fallout from a cyberattack.
The office’s computer network and servers went dark on Aug. 11, an interruption caused by a “malicious actor encrypting certain files in an attempt to compel our office to make a payment to restore operations,” the law enforcement agency said last week.
No payments have been made by the office, the statement said, adding that “a few” individuals were notified that their information may have been compromised. A spokesperson for the attorney general’s office characterized the number of people impacted thus far as “very small.”
While the agency has made strides in restoring day-to-day functionality — such as staff emails, phones, and its complaint portal — the office still isn’t able to proceed with litigation.
The office asked the Philadelphia Common Pleas Court to pause their cases the day after the attack, saying in a letter that staff was “unable to access any litigation data, which prevents our attorneys from contacting witnesses, timely responding to pleadings, conducting discovery, or otherwise proceeding with litigation.”
Philadelphia’s main state-court paused all civil cases in which the attorney general’s office is involved for 30 days. Nearly 200 cases have been paused, the court said. The court also paused post-conviction relief cases, in which individuals convicted of a crime ask for a new trial.
Last week, Administrative Judge Daniel Anders extended the stay for another 30 days, barring an update from the attorney general’s office that their attorneys have access to litigation data and are able to proceed.
The Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the federal court that covers Philadelphia, extended its stay through Oct. 2. The order by Chief Judge Wendy Beetlestone says that no further extensions will be granted.
The attorney general’s office continues its investigation into the cyberattack, which includes determining what information has been compromised, the agency’s statement said. The office’s ability to comment while the investigation is ongoing is limited.
“The Office of Attorney General remains committed to protecting the information entrusted to us and providing updates concerning our response to the incident,” the office’s statement said. “Safeguarding the public’s trust and ensuring integrity of our operations are our highest priorities.”