The transportation agency of Texas has turned out to be the second part of the state administration reportedly, to be hit by the so-called "ransomware attack" in the past days. 

A statement the department posted on Friday on social media indicated that "someone hacked into the network of the Texas Department of Transportation," in what it called "a ransomware event."

According to the TxDOT website, some features are unavailable because of technical glitches. It is not clear though, which specific functions, according to the statement, "were affected by the attack." Officials of the department have not responded either, to the questions sent them via email.

The hack, according to report, comes a couple of days after one more "ransomware attack" hit the websites, as well as "case management systems" of high courts and appellate. Both the transportation agency and the courts said they are currently closely working with the FBI for further investigation.

Use of Ransomware

Hackers, reports said, use ransomware for the invasion of computer systems, as well as the encryption of files in an initiative to extract payments and have them unlocked.

Upon detection of the hacking, transport department staff instantaneously isolated the network's affected parts and, as indicated in the statement, had further unauthorized access shutdown.

Meanwhile, DOT Executive Director James Bass said, his staff is currently working to guarantee that crucial operations continue despite the interruption caused by the hacks.

Such hacks, the statement said, "Follow a ransomware attack of exceptional size" that affected over 20 local governments in the state in summer 2019.

Texas High Courts, First to be hit by Ransomware

Early last week, it was reported that the Texas courts have been hit with the ransomware attack, the first to be affected this year, among the Texas government agencies.

A statement issued on Monday by the Office of Court Administration said the attack on the network of the courts was discovered on Friday morning last week, by staff after beginning overnight.

More so, the said statement said, the agency's staff restricted the damage by having part of the department's network disabled. More so, the statement indicated that the courts would not be paying any ransom, as well.

Despite the hacks, the local trial courts seemed to have been unaffected. More so, the statement specified, no current proof or evidence is showing that personnel or sensitive information was compromised.

The said hack left the top criminal and civil courts of Texas without internet or working case management in their office. They also led staff to 

 The hack, according to reports, resulted in Texas' top civil and criminal courts functioning with no working case management system or internet in their offices. 

Also, according to a Texas Supreme Court top administrator, Blake Hawthorne, the hack has led the employees to put out rulings over social media site, Twitter.

Hawthorne added they are "trying to use everything available" to them so they can continue their access to courts and thus, they use their Twitter and other social media accounts.

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