November 7, 2024
In today’s increasingly connected world, our personal and financial lives are intertwined with our smartphones, leading to a new breed of cyber threats.
Smishing, a form of phishing via SMS text messages, tricks victims into sharing personal information or downloading malicious code. It is a rising threat, especially in the judicial system where public trust is crucial. As courts adopt more digital communication, they have become prime targets for cybercriminals in smishing schemes.
Smishing attackers frequently impersonate authoritative entities, making it easier to deceive individuals. For instance, citizens may receive fake messages claiming to be from a court, falsely stating they owe fines or are required to appear for jury service. These messages exploit the general public’s lack of familiarity with judicial processes and prey on the fear of legal consequences. Nearly 35% of the population is unfamiliar with smishing, making it difficult to distinguish between fake and legitimate text messages. Due to the public’s general trust in courts, these messages often go unchallenged, leading victims to unknowingly share sensitive information or make payments to malicious actors.
Court personnel and judges are also vulnerable to smishing attacks. Personal Safety Tips for Judges and Court Staff addresses the heightened risks judges and court staff face due to recent tragic events and offers safety recommendations. The guide also includes tips for handling text messages, such as avoiding the disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII) to unknown or anonymous senders.
The National Center for State Courts (NCSC) offers resources on cybersecurity awareness, covering threats such as smishing. The Michigan and Minnesota attorney general offices, along with the New York Department of State, provide guidance on how to avoid smishing scams.
Techjury reports that smishing attacks surged by 700% in the first half of 2021, with 3.5 billion mobile phones receiving smishing messages every day. In April 2024, the FBI issued a nationwide alert regarding a spike in fraudulent activity involving a smishing scheme, which resulted in over 2,000 complaints about text messages impersonating toll road services.
By staying ahead of evolving cyber threats through resources on cybersecurity awareness, training, and updating policies to address AI integration—an emerging challenge overwhelming court systems—courts can effectively safeguard themselves and the public from the harmful impact of smishing.
What resources does your court offer to address smishing? Share your experiences with us. For more information, contact knowledge@ncsc.org or call 800-616-6164. Follow the National Center for State Courts on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and Vimeo. For more Trending Topics posts, visit ncsc.org/trendingtopics and subscribe to the LinkedIn newsletter.