Ransom in Texas
Jesus Beltran II On May 14, 2020, ransomware halted the use of the Crash Information System (CRIS) of the Texas Department of Transportation. This is the system that puts together all vehicle crash information from law enforcement in the state of Texas. When you need a report for your insurance claim or lawsuit, this is the system where you order a copy. According to a news release from Texas Department of Transportation, “[T]here was unauthorized access to the agency’s network in a ransomware event. TxDOT immediately took steps to isolate the incident and shut down further unauthorized access. In addition, the agency promptly began working with federal law enforcement... to find the individual(s) responsible and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.” REQUESTED UPDATES On June 15, TxDOT Media Relations replied to my request for more information, explaining, in part, “We're pleased to report that TxDOT has made significant progress in its remediation and recovery