On July 30, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) Kolkata bench faced a cybersecurity breach during an online court hearing when an unknown individual hijacked the session to display inappropriate content. The disruption began around 2:52 pm and lasted for three to four minutes, halting proceedings.
According to a complaint filed with the Bidhannagar Cyber Cell, the perpetrator joined the session using the profile name “John Galvenstone”. Attempts by court staff to stop unauthorized screen sharing failed, forcing the hybrid court operator to temporarily terminate the meeting before resuming proceedings.
Investigators revealed that the virtual court link created in December 2022 and renewed in October 2024 was tied to the official court email. The breach has been registered under sections 66C, 66E, 67, and 67A of the Information Technology Act.
Authorities have traced the perpetrator’s IP address and begun data collection. The court was able to resume its session at 4:50 pm after the disruption was contained.
The incident underscores the vulnerabilities of virtual judicial proceedings and highlights the need for stricter access controls and real-time cybersecurity safeguards in online legal platforms.
The NCLT breach serves as a stark reminder that even critical judicial processes are not immune to cyber threats. As courts increasingly rely on hybrid and virtual formats, implementing robust authentication measures, secure meeting links, and real-time monitoring will be essential to safeguard proceedings from malicious disruptions. This incident should prompt urgent upgrades in cybersecurity protocols across all legal institutions.
Source Link — https://ciso.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/data-breaches/breach-in-cyber-security-disrupts-nclt-hearing/123092859
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