After Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District canceled most classes this week because of a ransomware attack, the FBI says the crime is one of the fastest-growing threats the agency investigates.
Read full article: After Uvalde CISD cancels classes due to ransomware attack, FBI outlines growing threatWhataburger raises more than $1.7 million for 9 nonprofits aiding Hill Country flood recoveryEdgewood ISD board meets amid tensions over woman’s arrest during public comment last month“The threat of ransomware is constantly growing and evolving,” said Supervisory Special Agent Justin Akers of the FBI ’s Cyber Squad.
“It is a very significant threat and it’s a priority for the FBI.” Ransomware attacks, which encrypt a victim’s data and demand payment for its release, can target schools, businesses or individuals. Akers said the actual losses are difficult to calculate because many attacks go unreported. Over the past several years, the FBI has tracked down individuals responsible for major cyberattacks. In one case, Ukrainian national Mark Sokolovsky was sentenced last year to five years in federal prison for conspiring to operate a program that stole data and cryptocurrency from victims, including some in San Antonio. But investigators often face obstacles, Akers said, because many perpetrators operate in countries that do not cooperate with the United States on cybercrime, such as Russia, North Korea and Iran. “These criminal actors are savvy,” Akers said. “They get better at hiding their identity and hiding the infrastructure they use to perpetrate these crimes.” The FBI is focused on dismantling the ecosystem that enables ransomware, including the financial networks that allow attackers to profit.Agents also stress the importance of prevention. “Be skeptical of what you download,” Akers said. “You’ve got to think before you click that link. If everybody in the organization practices good cyber hygiene, it’s going to make it much more difficult for the bad actors to get on the network.” “The FBI’s mission is to prevent ransomware attacks through education and awareness, but once an attack has occurred, our primary role becomes investigative,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp, of the FBI San Antonio Field Office. “The lessons we learn can then be shared with our private sector partners in hopes of preventing future attacks.”that the FBI and other agencies are still investigating the attack while slowly restoring internal systems. Classes are expected to resume Friday.Erica Hernandez is an Emmy award-winning journalist with 15 years of experience in the broadcast news business. Erica has covered a wide array of stories all over Central and South Texas. She's currently the court reporter and cohost of the podcast Texas Crime Stories.
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