Ransomware assault paralyzes 23 computer systems in Texas

A coordinated ransomware assault took down structures operated by 23 entities in Texas on Friday, the state government stated Saturday. State businesses were operating Saturday to repair the affected structures, the general public of which belong to small, local governments.

“At this time, the proof gathered suggests the assaults got here from one unmarried threat actor,” the Texas Department of Information Resources stated in a declaration Saturday. “Investigations into the origin of this assault are ongoing; but, response and recovery are the concern at the moment.”

Ransomware is a malicious software program that can lock up your files until you send hackers a ransom price. It featured inside the WannaCry attacks in May and the NotPetya attacks in 2017, each of which swept thru hospitals, banks, and governments in several international locations.

The US Conference of Mayors stated in July that there had been 22 ransomware attacks on the town, county and nation governments so far this 12 months. Hackers paralyzed government computer systems in Albany, New York, in April. Then in June, hackers focused Florida towns: Lake City and Rivera Beach. The metropolis councils in each Florida towns agreed to pay ransoms that delivered as much as greater than $1 million.

The identities of the affected organizations weren’t discovered, nor was the scale of the ransom, however, authorities said structures operated with the aid of the kingdom of Texas weren’t affected. The FBI and Department of Homeland Security are supporting diverse Texas organizations within the investigation.