Justice Apologizes For Iowa Court System Authorizing Security Vulnerability Testing That Led To Break-Ins

Justice Apologizes For Iowa Court System Authorizing Security Vulnerability Testing That Led To Break-Ins

At a legislative hearing Friday, court administrators answered questions about their decision to hire “penetration testers” who were arrested for burglary last month.

The chief justice of the Iowa Supreme Court publicly apologized Friday for the court system’s authorization of security vulnerability tests that led to the arrests of two Coalfire employees for courthouse break-ins. 

The state senate’s Government Oversight Committee held a hearing to hear testimony about the break-ins at the Dallas and Polk County courthouses in September. According to reporting from The Des Moines Register, the Coalfire employees were following through on a contract signed by Iowa court system officials hiring them to test the “adequacy and effectiveness” of security at government buildings. 

"In our efforts to fulfill our duty to protect confidential information of Iowans from cyberattacks, mistakes were made," Chief Justice Mark Cady said during the hearing. "We are doing everything possible to correct those mistakes, be accountable for the mistakes and to make sure they never, ever occur again." 

Now, information technology officials with the state court system say that the employees, who were able to gain access to two courthouses over the course of two nights, acted outside of the scope of the contract. 

The Iowa court administration hired the company to test for cybersecurity vulnerabilities and "did not intend, or anticipate, those efforts to include the forced entry into a building," according to a statement given to the Register last month. 

In turn, local law enforcement were not warned about the break-ins and responded to an alarm at the Dallas County courthouse as if it were a real burglary. While the two employees arrested for third-degree burglary are free and there are no proceedings scheduled for their cases, legislators and local police say that the situation was dangerous for all involved. 

Legislators will continue their investigation until more facts are gathered, according to Sen. Amy Sinclair, the chair of the committee.  

"It is outside the scope of the judicial branch to authorize individuals to illegally break into facilities that they neither own nor provide security for," she told the Register. 

Todd Nuccio, the state court administrator, said that the contract had not been reviewed by a legal team and that oversight steps will be considered in the future, according to the Register. Sen. Claire Celsi told the Register that the court’s shrinking budget may have played a role, leading to them signing the contract and take the most “efficient” route. 

"It’s faintly disturbing that a contract of this magnitude was allowed to move forward without further review from someone higher up the food chain maybe," Celsi said. 

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Smarter Access Starts with Flexibility

    Today’s workplaces are undergoing a rapid evolution, driven by hybrid work models, emerging smart technologies, and flexible work schedules. To keep pace with growing workplace demands, buildings are becoming more dynamic – capable of adapting to how people move, work, and interact in real-time. Read Now

  • Trends Keeping an Eye on Business Decisions

    Today, AI continues to transform the way data is used to make important business decisions. AI and the cloud together are redefining how video surveillance systems are being used to simulate human intelligence by combining data analysis, prediction, and process automation with minimal human intervention. Many organizations are upgrading their surveillance systems to reap the benefits of technologies like AI and cloud applications. Read Now

  • The Future is Happening Outside the Cloud

    For years, the cloud has captivated the physical security industry. And for good reason. Remote access, elastic scalability and simplified maintenance reshaped how we think about deploying and managing systems. But as the number of cameras grows and resolutions push from HD to 4K and beyond, the cloud’s limits are becoming unavoidable. Bandwidth bottlenecks. Latency lags. Rising storage costs. These are not abstract concerns. Read Now

  • Right-Wing Activist Charlie Kirk Dies After Utah Valley University Shooting

    Charlie Kirk, a popular conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, died Wednesday after being shot during an on-campus event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah Read Now

  • The Impact of Convergence Between IT and Physical Security

    For years, the worlds of physical security and information technology (IT) remained separate. While they shared common goals and interests, they often worked in silos. Read Now

New Products

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.