Ken Dort Speaks with Law360 about Ransomware Attack on Texas Courts

In their coverage of Texas' state judiciary becoming the latest U.S. institution to be hit by ransomware, Law360 turned to partner Ken Dort for insight into the cyberattack.

The legal industry publication reported that on May 11, a ransomware attack left the websites for Texas' Supreme Court and its intermediate appeals courts shut down as cybercriminals have increasingly held a wide array of state and local institutions hostage in recent years, demanding that victims — from local school boards to entire cities — pay ransoms in cryptocurrency to unlock frozen networks.

Dort weighed in, telling Law360 that, "with respect to cyber attacks and ransomware, it's become a bit of a cliché but it's true: it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when."

"That said, it appears that the Texas courts have worked hard to be able to counteract this attack, which in the grand scheme of things has not done a whole lot of damage to its overall functionality," he added. "It's possible that the attackers thought they would be able to do a lot more damage and have more leverage than they really had."