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Over the July Fourth holiday weekend, a ransomware attack hit as many as 1,500 businesses across the globe, with hackers demanding $70 million.

Now more than ever, it’s imperative that the Texas Children’s community be informed about ransomware attacks. Knowing how they can impact Texas Children’s and what you can do to help is the first step in awareness.

What is ransomware?

Ransomware locks a computer system to prevent the owner or organization from accessing data until they pay a ransom. Although there are different ways ransomware can enter a network environment, the most common threat comes from fraudulent email, when an employee may be deceived into clicking a link or opening an attachment that then transmits ransomware into an organization.

What do we know about this latest ransomware attack?

REvil, a Russian-language group, is demanding $70 million after it targeted information technology company Kaseya and 15,000+ customers. It’s the biggest ransomware attack on record and is just one of several attacks that have impacted businesses and health care providers across the globe.

What’s being done to prevent ransomware attacks at Texas Children’s?

Texas Children’s has multiple security systems in place to protect our systems against malware, including continuous monitoring of our network. Employees, though, are on the frontlines of protecting our systems, and it is important that they take steps to prevent dangerous ransomware from impacting our network.

What can you do to help?

Heighten your awareness of external emails from unknown senders, and carefully consider before clicking on website links and opening email attachments, especially links to file-sharing sites like Google Drive. To do that, please follow these steps:

1. Look for the yellow bar. Every email that originates from outside Texas Children’s network is tagged with a yellow bar at the top of the message. If you see this yellow bar, do not click any links or open any attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
2. Pay close attention to who the message is coming from. Look carefully at the sender’s email address. If it is one you do not recognize, or looks suspicious, do not engage with the message.
3. Spelling and grammatical errors. These are telltale signs of a phishing scam. Treat these messages as a threat to our network and delete them immediately.
4. Be cautious of links. If you are being engaged to click a link, take a moment to hover your mouse over the link to see where you will be directed upon clicking. Simply put: if the link is not legit, do not click.

What do I do if I receive a suspicious email?

If you receive a suspicious message, refrain from opening it or any attachments, and do not click any links. Simply delete the message from your inbox and notify IS Security by emailing isservicedesk@texaschildrens.org.

If you have any questions about information security or phishing, please call the IS Service Desk at 832-824-3512.

How do I sign up for emergency alerts through Everbridge?

In the event that Texas Children’s is impacted by a ransomware attack, our IS team may be required to shut down all or parts of our network, including email. Should this happen, Everbridge emergency text messaging would serve as a primary means of communicating with our workforce.

If you are not currently receiving emergency text communications from Everbridge, please sign up for alerts by following the instructions below:

• For TCH employees: Add your mobile phone number to your profile in MOLI to begin receiving these messages. Upon logging in to MOLI, simply click on “Personal Information” and then “Phone Numbers.” From there, you will see an area to add your mobile phone.
• For BCM employees: To opt-in for emergency text messages, please click here and then log in with your username and password. From there, you will be prompted to submit a mobile phone number.