A ransomeware cyber attack has struck city computers causing outages across Bowie and Miller Counties.
According to Bowie County 202nd District Court Judge John Tidwell, “the computers at the Courthouse and BiState have been shut down today along with other agencies.”
Ransomware is typically a form of malware that encrypts a victim’s files. The attacker then demands a ransom from the victim to restore access to the data upon payment.
According to a press release from the city of Texarkana, Texas, “around 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 6, 2020 a wide-spread IT issue has caused major outages to systems and services provided by Texarkana Water Utilities to the Cities of Texarkana, Texas and Texarkana, Arkansas and Bowie County. It is important to note that 9-1-1 services are not impacted.”
Residents seeking services from any of these offices should be aware that wait times may be longer, processes may be altered, and some services may not be available at this time. At the current time, there is not an expected timeframe for these issues to be resolved. For more information from specific departments or offices, please call ahead during regular business hours.
Check back for updates as additional information becomes available.
