More than 20 Texas cities and towns have been taken hostage by ransomware

The American ransomware epidemic shows no signs of slowing, as the confluence of underinvestment in IT and information security and the NSA's reckless stockpiling of computer vulnerabilities means that petty criminals can extort vast sums from distant municipalities by seizing their entire networked infrastructure.

Currently, more than 20 towns and cities in Texas are being held ransom by criminals. The state believes all of the hijackings -- which all landed Saturday morning -- are the work of a single "threat actor."

Update on August 2019 Texas Cyber Incident [Texas Department of Information Resources]