Courts has been fined $178,000 over a 2022 ransomware attack that compromised the personal data of nearly one million people. It was the retailer’s 3rd breach of data protection obligations since 2019. https://str.sg/E6kPs
Full Details: Courts Fined $178,000 Over 2022 Ransomware Data Breach
Source: PDPC / The Straits Times | PDPC Decision Date: 11 Aug 2026 | Published: 26 Oct 2026 | Reported: 3 Nov 2026
🚨 Incident Overview
- Date of attack: Around 21 Sep 2022; malware detected on 26 Sep 2022
- Method: Attackers gained access via two internet-facing disaster recovery servers that were excluded from regular vulnerability scans. Admin credentials obtained through unknown means, then moved laterally across the network
- Impact: Ransomware deployed on 26 servers; data encrypted on 20 servers
- Ransom demand: Received 1 Oct 2022 by customer service; Courts did not pay; no further contact from attacker
- Status: No evidence data was exfiltrated; 12 months of dark web monitoring found no public disclosure
👥 Data Compromised — 946,972 People Total
Group Number Data Affected
Customers 941,513 Names, NRIC/ID numbers, addresses, phone numbers; some last 4 digits of credit cards
Employees (current/former/prospective) 5,459 ⚠️ Bank account details, creditworthiness information — most sensitive data[__LINK_ICON]
Courts notified employees but did not notify customers, assessing customer data was unlikely to cause significant harm
⚠️ PDPC's Key Findings — Why the Breach Happened
1. Disaster recovery servers excluded from vulnerability scans — Courts deemed them "non-critical," but they provided a gateway to the wider network
2. Outdated, unpatched systems — Recovery servers not patched since 6 Jul 2022; multiple servers running Windows Server 2008 (end-of-life since Jan 2020)
3. Systemic failures despite prior penalties — This was Courts' 3rd data protection breach since 2019
📉 History of Previous Penalties
Date Incident Fine
Jan 2019 Website flaw exposed phone numbers/addresses via guest checkout $15,000[__LINK_ICON]
2020 Faulty membership email link allowed account access for 76,844 customers $9,000[__LINK_ICON]
Sep 2022 Ransomware breach affecting ~947,000 people $178,000[__LINK_ICON]
PDPC: "Systemic failings to implement basic cybersecurity policies despite previous penalties warrant a higher penalty for effective deterrence."
🛡️ Courts' Response & Remedial Actions
- Accepted the fine and apologised; set up support channel: [email protected]
- Engaged external cybersecurity specialists; appointed external vendors to review data; implemented improved security controls, patching, and access restrictions