(TNS) — It's a new era for criminals in the digital age.
As data is emerging as one of the world's most valuable resources, some cities in Texas have already fallen victim to a lucrative criminal digital heist known as ransomware — a virus that blocks access to your data for a payout.
In response to the growing threat, a team of tech-savvy Texans is helping chart a strategy for immobilizing attacks and helping victims recover from data breaches.
The Texas Military Department — the umbrella agency for the state's National Guard branches — will host hundreds of state, local and county officials at Camp Mabry in Austin on Thursday to show how its Cyber Incident Response Team plans to handle future attacks while offering tips to protect valuable software.
Ransomware made headlines across the state in August after over 20 Texas entities were attacked. This virus crippled digital operations in several cities, cutting access to utility payments and other public records such as birth and death certificates.
The Travis Central Appraisal District also was infected by a ransomware virus in September that shut down access to the district's website for a week.
Lt. Col. Chris Winnek, cyberoperations chief for the Texas Military Department, said these criminal operations originally targeted rural areas, but have since branched out to larger U.S. cities like Austin and Atlanta as many businesses, organizations and municipalities continue to pay ransom to recover stolen data.
The city of Atlanta was force ..
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