Texas Unveils New Cybersecurity Command to Confront Digital Threats

On June 2, 2025, Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 150 in San Antonio, officially creating a new agency called the Texas Cyber Command. The move did not come out of nowhere. It was the result of years of mounting digital attacks that disrupted daily life across the state, hitting schools, municipalities, and even hospitals.

The new command comes with serious funding: 135 million dollars has been allocated through 2027, with plans to expand to 345.2 million over the next five years. Operations will begin in 2026 with 65 full-time employees, doubling to 130 by 2027. Leading this effort is retired Admiral Timothy “T.J.” White, a seasoned figure with decades of experience heading U.S. Navy cyber warfare units.

The urgency became undeniable in September 2025, when the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District was forced to close for four straight days after a ransomware attack crippled phones, security cameras, and its Skyward platform. Thousands of students were left without classes, and parents were left questioning how a local school system could be brought to a standstill by a single breach.

For many Texans, the attack echoed larger incidents from recent years, such as the Colonial Pipeline shutdown in 2021 or the Baltimore city ransomware crisis in 2019. Yet the new reality feels closer to home. This time it was not fuel lines or city services, but children missing school and families worrying about stolen student records.

The Texas Cyber Command is designed to act as a digital shield. It will include an advanced threat-monitoring center, a forensics lab for investigating breaches, and a rapid-response team to contain attacks. It will also coordinate with both federal agencies and local governments to ensure that no institution is left to face hackers alone.

But the responsibility does not lie with governments alone. Cybersecurity experts stress that individuals also hold real power to protect themselves. Simple actions such as updating devices regularly, replacing weak passwords with stronger ones, or enabling two-factor authentication on important accounts can block many of the doors hackers rely on.

Think of it like locking your front door. You do not need to be a security professional to know that a lock protects your family. In the same way, keeping your phone or laptop updated and backing up important files can save households from devastating problems. Parents are even being encouraged to ask schools about their data protection plans, just as they ask about curriculum or quality of teaching.

With this step, Texas is entering a new phase in its digital defense. The state is betting that by building stronger cyber walls, it can close the gap before hackers exploit it further. The question now is whether these efforts will prove strong enough, or if cybercriminals will once again move faster.