ICC confirms ‘sophisticated’ cyber security attack

MANILA, Philippines — The International Criminal Court (ICC) has confirmed that a “sophisticated” cyber security incident targeted its systems last week.

In a statement on Monday, the international tribunal said the incident “was swiftly discovered, confirmed and contained” through its alert and response mechanisms.

“A court-wide impact analysis is being carried out, and steps are already being taken to mitigate any effects of the incident,” it said.

According to the ICC, this is the second of this type of cyber security incident against the
 tribunal in recent years.

In 2023, it also confirmed a “targeted and sophisticated attack with the objective of espionage.”

It said the attack can be interpreted as a serious attempt to undermine the court’s mandate.

The first attack, the ICC noted, came at a time of broader and heightened security concerns for the court.

It cited criminal proceedings against elected ICC officials and judges, attacks to disrupt its systems and even an “almost successful attempt” of a hostile intelligence officer to infiltrate the tribunal by posing as an intern.

Following the first incident, the ICC said it would reinforce its risk management framework and would accelerate initiatives to enhance digital security.

“As part of broader assessment into potential actions by threat actors, the Court has also identified that disinformation campaigns targeting the ICC and its officials may be anticipated to be launched in an effort to tarnish the ICC image and delegitimize its activities,” it added.

In a statement on the latest attack, the tribunal called for support and said that it is essential to inform the public and state parties of such incidents.

“Such support ensures the Court’s capacity to implement its critical mandate of justice and accountability, which is a shared responsibility of all States Parties,” it added.

ICC reentry: Marcos listening to public

Although President Marcos has not mentioned anything yet about calls for the Philippines to rejoin the ICC, he is listening to the sentiments of the public on the matter, Malacañang said yesterday.

A recent nationwide poll by OCTA Research suggested that the majority of Filipinos were in favor of the Philippines rejoining the ICC, which issued an arrest warrant against former president Rodrigo Duterte over the deaths tied to his war on illegal drugs.

The survey, which was conducted from April 20 to 24, found 57 percent of respondents saying they were in favor of the country rejoining the tribunal and 37 percent saying otherwise. Six percent of the poll’s 1,200 respondents were undecided on the issue.

Asked to react to the results of the poll, Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said she has not spoken with the President on the matter.

“For now, we have not discussed that. The President has not mentioned that, but these kinds of sentiments of our people are being heard by the President. Let us see in the coming days what will be the view of the President on rejoining the ICC,” the Palace press officer said in a briefing.

The Rome Statute, the treaty that created the ICC, was ratified by the Philippines in 2011. In 2018, Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the treaty as a response to the ICC’s plan to look into the killings linked to his drug war.

Duterte, whose anti-narcotics campaign claimed the lives of more than 6,000 suspects, was arrested on an ICC warrant on March 11 and is awaiting trial in The Hague.

Last month, United Nations Special Rapporteur Irene Khan encouraged the Philippines to “open discussions for re-accession to the Rome Statute” of the ICC.

In a recent press briefing, Castro said Marcos was open to talks on rejoining the ICC. — Alexis Romero, Jose Rodel Clapano