Supreme Court’s YouTube Channel Hacked, Cryptocurrency Video Being Broadcast.

The YouTube channel of the Supreme Court of India has been hacked. According to available information, the channel’s name has been changed to ‘Ripple,’ whereas earlier it was operated under the name ‘Supreme Court of India.’ Notably, Ripple is a cryptocurrency developed by U.S.-based company Ripple Labs. After the hacking incident, videos related to cryptocurrency are being shown on the channel instead of court-related content. Specifically, videos promoting Ripple cryptocurrency are being broadcast.

Earlier, the Supreme Court’s YouTube channel was used for live streaming court hearings and public interest cases. However, after the hack, a video titled “Brad Garlinghouse Reacts to SEC’s $2 Billion Fine! XRP Price Prediction” was live-streamed. The video featured Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple Labs, discussing the future price prediction of Ripple’s cryptocurrency XRP (XRP). The Supreme Court’s YouTube channel used to live stream court proceedings, particularly those related to the Constitution Bench. In 2018, under the leadership of then-Chief Justice UU Lalit, the court unanimously decided to live broadcast hearings of the Constitution Bench for public view. Since then, the Supreme Court has live-streamed several public interest litigations and significant cases. This step was taken to enhance the transparency of the judiciary, allowing citizens to directly watch the proceedings of the highest court.

Full details of the Supreme Court’s YouTube channel hacking incident are not yet available. According to The Indian Express, a senior official stated that there were some issues in accessing the channel, after which the Supreme Court’s IT team immediately took the matter seriously and referred it to the National Informatics Centre (NIC). The NIC team is currently investigating the matter to determine how the hacking occurred and how the channel’s security was compromised.

This incident has raised questions about the digital security of important institutions like the Supreme Court. While digital platforms are being used to promote transparency in the judiciary, such incidents expose security vulnerabilities. Strengthening the security of YouTube channels and other digital assets of government institutions has become even more important after this incident.