• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Jobs
  • Career
    • Cyber Security Training
    • Work from Home
    • Cyber Security Analyst
    • Remote Work – Six Ways to Keep Your Data Safe When Working Remotely
  • Field Guide
  • Newsletter Signup
  • Deals
  • News
AskCyberSecurity.com

AskCyberSecurity.com

Cyber Security News & Information

  • Home
  • Data Privacy
    • Gamers
    • Government Cyber Security
      • Legislation
      • Standards
        • What are the risks of computer security?
        • Medical Cyber Security
    • Social Media
  • Security
    • Data Breaches
    • Scams
    • Malware
  • Software
    • Apps
    • Web Browsers
  • Glossary
    • Cyber Security Acronyms
  • About Ask Cyber Security
    • Authors
    • Contact Us
  • VPN
    • How Do I Know If My VPN is Working?
    • Best Free VPN iPhone
    • Why Use a VPN?
    • NordVPN vs IPVanish
    • Private Internet Access Download
    • Best VPN for Streaming
      • TikTok VPN
    • VPN Porn
    • Computer Security Software – What You Really Need
  • Tutorials
  • ChatGPT
    • Does ChatGPT Save Data?
AskCyber Home » News » Government Cyber Security » Texas DOT Hit by Ransomware Attack

Texas DOT Hit by Ransomware Attack

2020-05-18 by Keith Harlock

TxDOT Ransomware

Texas Department of Transportation Ransomware Attack Second This Week

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) suffered a ransomware attack. TxDOT announced that hackers compromised the agency’s network. This is the second ransomware attack this week targeting a Texas government agency. The announcement was made via social media, including Twitter.

TxDOT has not disclosed what ransomware was used or if it was the same as that used to attack the Texas court system last week. TxDOT also has not disclosed what systems were impacted by the ransomware attack. However, their normally real-time traffic camera website is showing information that is four days old. As of today, the agency’s main website home page is loading slowly and other pages are still not loading at all. There is a message that states, “Due to technical difficulties, some website features are unavailable. We are working to resolve this issue quickly.”

RELATED READ: Top 9 Cyber Threats for Businesses

On Friday, May 8 the Office of Court Administration (OCA), the information technology (IT) provider for the appellate courts and state judicial agencies within the Texas Judicial Branch announced they were also attacked with ransomware. This attack began at night on May 7 and carried on overnight. Cyber attacks often begin at night and on weekends when hackers believe there are less staff working to monitor networks. No sensitive or personal information was believed to be compromised during the OCA attack. With the initial announcement, the OCA Director of Public Affairs stated they will not pay any ransom to the hackers.


Texas Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware is a type of malware used to infect and control computers, servers, and other internet connected devices. A ransomware attack is often launched with an email attachment. The emails are sent as targeted phishing campaigns with convincing content that earns the trust of the reader. Information for the phishing campaigns is taken from social media, agency websites, press releases and other publicly accessible sources of information. If the reader opens a malicious email attachment, their computer can become quickly infected with malware. The infection can rapidly spread to the rest of the network connected devices too.

It is best to educate and train staff to spot phishing emails and to protect education with anti-malware software.

Texas Department of Transportation Executive Director James M. Bass said in a statement, “We want every Texan to rest assured that we are doing everything we can to swiftly address this issue. We also are working to ensure critical operations continue during this interruption.”

Last year, 23 townships in Texas were crippled by ransomware attacks. The Colorado Department of Transportation was attacked with SamSam ransomware in 2018. In that incident 2,000 computers, servers and network devices were involved.

As of today, the TxDOT website states, “Due to technical difficulties, some website features are unavailable. We are working to resolve this issue quickly.”

Filed Under: Government Cyber Security

About Keith Harlock

Keith has 30 years of experience managing staff for the planning and design of highway, bridge and transportation-related projects and specialty structures. Keith oversees the development of and authors numerous reports on a variety of topics related to transportation engineering and has worked with several key clients on projects related to infrastructure security. Keith is a licensed professional engineer in the State of New York, currently a State Board member of the American Council of Engineering Companies of New York and is a licensed commercial pilot with an instrument rating. He resides in Western New York.


LinkedInTwitter

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Our Free Newsletter

We Don't Share or Sell Your Info

Web Browsers

Where Are My Saved Passwords in Chrome?

Google Removes 70 Malicious Browser Add-ons from Chrome Web Store

Firefox 75 Reports Your Browser Settings to Mozilla

Categories

Cyber Security Field Guide

Computer Security While TravelingGet Our Cyber Security Field Guide - Available on Amazon!

Recent Posts

Security Marketing Manager – Remote

Sr. Associate, Cybersecurity Architect – Pfizer

Strategic Customer Success Manager – Cybersecurity – Opportunity for Working Remotely

Top 20 Passwords Leaked on Dark Web

ISU Cybersecurity Leader Job Opening

Cyber Security News

Top 20 Passwords Leaked on Dark Web

… [Read More...] about Top 20 Passwords Leaked on Dark Web

Apple Warns of Actively Exploited Zero-Day Flaw

… [Read More...] about Apple Warns of Actively Exploited Zero-Day Flaw

IRS Stops Facial Recognition System for Online Access

… [Read More...] about IRS Stops Facial Recognition System for Online Access

National Cybersecurity Alliance Announces Data Privacy Week

… [Read More...] about National Cybersecurity Alliance Announces Data Privacy Week

More Cyber Security News

Tags

amazon Android Apple bitcoin China chrome CISA credit card DarkSide DHS DOJ Equifax Europe Facebook facial recognition FBI Firefox FTC games GDPR Google Government hacker identity theft India iPhone Iran IRS LinkedIn Microsoft North Korea PayPal phishing phishing email ransomware REvil Russia smartphone T-Mobile TikTok tutorial VPN WhatsApp WiFi Windows

Government

CBP Looks to Access Airline Passenger Data

FTC Releases Cyber Threat Video Playlist

Malware Found on US Government Funded Phones

UK NCA Reaches Out to Youth to Deter Cybercrimes

More Posts from this Category

Footer

Menu

  • Home
  • About
  • Authors
  • Newsletter Signup
  • PRIVACY POLICY

Search

Why Use a VPN?

NordVPN vs IPVanish VPN Review

NAVIGATION

  • Data Breaches
  • Data Privacy
  • Gamers
  • Scams
  • Malware

MEMBER NJCCIC

New Jersey Cybersecurity & Communications Integration Cell

STAY CONNECTED

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Twitter
  • RSS

Copyright © 2023 · AskCyberSecurity.com · METRONY, LLC

Go to mobile version