Another Texas has fallen victim ransomware attack, according to data released by the criminals behind the NetWalker ransomware. The data shows that the target of the ransomware attack was Trinity Metro, a transportation agency in Fort Worth.
According to the organization's website, Trinity Metro carries out 8 million passenger trips annually.
“Due to a technical issue we experienced this morning, all of our phone lines are down, including our customer service line and ACCESS reservation system,” said on July 1. The transit agency advised passengers to call a dedicated phone number or send a message via Facebook if they have any trips planned or to plan future trips while the system is down.
The transport agency also made a similar tweet, and later that day, said "Our IT team is working hard to resolve the issue that took our phone lines down this morning.".
The NetWalker ransomware gang has uploaded website over 200 files to its, containing information that was apparently stolen from the transportation agency before its systems were disrupted. This tactic has become very common in recent months. Hackers first steal victims' files and then encrypt the systems. They then threaten to expose the data if the victims do not pay the ransom.
Some of the stolen Trinity Metro files are related to accounting, human resources, etc.
On May 14, the Texas Department of Transportation also fell victim to a ransomware attack. Researchers linked the attack to a new ransomware, called Ransom X.A week earlier, another government agency had found itself in the same position. In August 2019, an organized attack hit the systems of 22 small Texas towns.
