Cyber Incident Victim: Texas Department of Transportation
Date:
Feb 2017
Location:
United States of America
Summary
A security breach at the Texas Department of Transportation compromised personal information belonging to employees after unauthorized access to an automated administrative system. The incident, discovered late in the week, resulted in potential data alteration and exposure for a limited number of staff members. While specifics regarding the cause or scope were not publicly detailed, the agency confirmed the compromise of sensitive employee details during the event.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 1 technique |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 0 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On February 7, 2017, sources alerted KXAN news to a potential security breach at the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The agency confirmed a "security incident" had compromised its automated administrative system, discovered during routine operations on the afternoon of February 3, 2017. Unauthorized access resulted in the potential alteration and exposure of personal information belonging to a limited number of TxDOT employees. The compromised data included sensitive employee details, though the agency did not publicly specify the exact data types or the number of individuals affected beyond describing the scope as involving "a small number of employees." TxDOT initiated an internal investigation following the discovery and began remediation efforts to secure the breached system. No evidence suggested public-facing systems or citizen data were impacted.
The incident received minimal initial media coverage despite concerns about the nature of the data alteration and access. TxDOT's public statement on February 10, 2017, acknowledged the breach but provided no details regarding the intrusion method, potential perpetrators, or whether the affected employees were deliberately targeted. The agency emphasized its focus on investigating the incident and mitigating risks to impacted personnel. Public records and subsequent disclosures did not reveal whether external cybersecurity firms were engaged or whether law enforcement was notified. The lack of detailed public reporting following the investigation limited broader understanding of the attack's origin or long-term consequences for affected individuals.