Lawmakers in the Texas House held a hearing Wednesday on the threat of cyber attacks from foreign adversaries.
The Select Committee on Securing Texas From Hostile Foreign Organizations sought to address growing concerns surrounding the state’s preparedness for cybersecurity threats amid a sharp increase globally in port attacks.
Speakers at the hearing included Adam I. Klein of the Robert Strauss Center for International Security and Law at the University of Texas at Austin, Brooks Lobingier of the Port of Corpus Christi, and Chris Wolski—who has over 20 years of cybersecurity experience.
Klein warned lawmakers that some of the largest threats posed by foreign adversaries in Texas on the ground are sometimes more subtle than direct.
Foreign adversaries might find their greatest luck going after vulnerable state infrastructure and attempting to shape public opinion instead of taking on organizations and agencies already bulwarked against cyber threats, he explained.
“For example, it could hack traffic systems near military bases or ports to prevent military personnel from reporting for duty or critical shipments from making it from embarkation from Texas ports into the region,” said Klein.
However, Klein still sounded the alarm over the likelihood of direct intrusions by state actors, noting that they are more than capable of penetrating the homeland and conducting hostile physical actions.
“We have to be prepared not just for intruders on foot but for unpiloted aircraft, drones, and even drone boats—which we’ve seen used in the Ukraine conflict, and it’s a serious threat to potentially our port facilities and other sensitive energy facilities in maritime areas,” he continued.
Klein’s suggested steps include investing in counter-drone capabilities for law enforcement and critical infrastructure, as well as prohibiting or limiting the use of technology manufactured by adversaries.
Currently, the United States Congress is in the process of investigating the risk to national security posed by Shanghai-based crane operator ZPMC over whether cellular modems found in its cranes at U.S. ports could be used for espionage.
“Devices that connect back to adversary nations to store data or to get software updates present an unacceptable threat because the adversary could activate that access in a crisis to disable us and debilitate us,” stated Klein.
Both Klein and Chris Wolski referenced the potential problems posed by Chinese-manufactured cranes. Wolski, founder of the cybersecurity consulting firm Applied Security Convergence, worked at the Port of Houston from 2020 to 2022.
Wolski recounted the story of the 2021 computer network breach at the Port of Houston, which was addressed quickly enough so as not to disrupt normal operations. Now, Wolski says he is working with the University of Houston and other organizations in the area to better secure port cybersecurity.
During questioning, State Rep. Cody Harris (R-Palestine) asked Wolski what would happen if malevolent actors were successful in the 2021 breach and what a worse scenario could look like in the future.
Wolski said that foreign adversaries could target “the management system that manages the containers—when they come in, when they leave. That whole … system could be brought to a screeching halt.”
In addition, state-backed hackers could go after “the industrial control systems in the cranes, preventing them from being operated,” according to Wolski.
Lobingier had similar concerns about the Port of Corpus Christi, citing data indicating that there has been a considerable spike in cyber-related incidents.
“Year-over-year, we have seen a 28 percent increase in cyber targeting incidents that will likely continue throughout the rest of this year,” said Lobingier. “This trend indicates that we are on track to experience the highest number of cyber attempts since we began tracking these metrics in 2020.”
In response, Lobingier stated that the port has prioritized cyber security, drawing from existing frameworks by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the International Organization for Standardization.
Addressing concerns over Texas’ infrastructure vulnerability is slated to be a top concern heading into the 89th Legislative session on January 14, 2025. Specifically, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has made shoring up the embattled electrical grid system a top priority of the Senate.
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