The International Criminal Court (ICC) has fallen victim to a cyberattack.

The ICC - the world's sole permanent war crimes tribunal - has confirmed the breach, revealing that malicious actors gained unauthorised access to its computer systems late last week.

In a statement posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the ICC disclosed; “The International Criminal Court's services detected anomalous activity affecting its information systems. Immediate measures were adopted to respond to this cybersecurity incident and to mitigate its impact”. 

The situation is currently under investigation, with Dutch authorities, where the ICC is headquartered, providing support in resolving the matter.

The breach raises grave concerns due to the sensitive nature of the documents within the ICC's purview. 

These may encompass vital information such as the identities of protected witnesses and detailed evidence related to war crimes. 

Unfortunately, the ICC has not provided specific details regarding which areas of its system and information may have been compromised.

Established in 2002, the ICC is situated in The Hague and holds world leaders and nations accountable for war crimes and crimes against humanity. 

Presently, the ICC is conducting investigations into multiple allegations spanning Afghanistan, the Philippines, Uganda, Venezuela, and Ukraine. 

In a notable development earlier this year, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of illegally deporting Ukrainian children. 

Although neither Ukraine nor Russia are ICC members, Ukraine granted the ICC the authority to prosecute crimes committed within its territory, a move vehemently rejected by Russian authorities.

ICC lead prosecutor Karim Khan has underscored the importance of investigating cybercrimes potentially violating the Rome Statute, a legal treaty adopted in 1998 that grants the ICC jurisdiction over war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity. 

As of 2019, 123 nations are party to this agreement. 

“Cyber warfare does not play out in the abstract. Rather, it can have a profound impact on people's lives”, Khan says, noting that such activities could target critical infrastructure, including medical facilities and power generation systems, leading to immediate consequences.

This incident is not the first time the ICC's cybersecurity has been compromised. 

In 2011, a contentious incident involved a Kenyan journalist accused and arrested by the ICC for allegedly leaking the identities of protected witnesses online. He was later released.

The severity of the breach, its resolution status, and the identity of the perpetrators remain undisclosed at this time.