By Coastal Carolina News Staff Writer
September 29, 2026
RALEIGH, NC — A security vulnerability in the North Carolina Judicial Branch’s online jury-service exemption system briefly left sensitive resident documents, including driver’s licenses, medical records, and Social Security numbers exposed and accessible to the public.
The flaw came to light after a local citizen discovered that documents uploaded to support jury‑deferral requests could be viewed by anyone simply by altering a single numerical digit in the document link’s URL
Following inquiries, the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) restricted access to the affected portion of the online portal. However, state officials have yet to disclose how long the vulnerability remained active, the exact number of residents impacted, or whether the exposure triggers mandatory state breach notification laws.
Public records from the North Carolina Department of Justice confirm that no formal advisory or statement has been issued by Attorney General Jeff Jackson’s office. Because the Judicial Branch operates as an independent entity separate from the Executive Branch, state DOJ investigators do not automatically review or oversee court IT infrastructure without a formal complaint or request.
Privacy and cybersecurity advocates recommend that anyone who submitted documents through the state’s online portal in recent months proactively monitor their financial statements and watch closely for signs of identity theft.
Coastal Carolina News will continue tracking this story and following up with all updates regarding resident notifications and system security.
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