Company Details
city-of-houston
10,445
99,475
92
houstontx.gov
0
CIT_3157075
In-progress

City of Houston Company CyberSecurity Posture
houstontx.govHome to a respected and energetic cultural arts scene, celebrated restaurants featuring flavors from 35 countries, world-renowned theater groups and the brains behind U.S. space exploration, Houston is a diverse metropolis brimming with personality. With nearly 21,000 concerts, plays, exhibitions and other arts programs presented in Houston annually, residents and visitors have access to a wide variety of cultural programs. On any given night, it's a safe bet that there's a show somewhere in Houston's Theater District. More than 2 million people visit the Downtown area each year to attend one of the city's world-class performances. Within the Museum District you will find eighteen world-class institutions, including the Menil Collection, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and the Houston Museum of Natural Science are clustered in this area, drawing a reported seven million visitors to the district each year. Houston’s restaurant scene is as ethnically diverse as its 4 million residents. ForbesTraveler.com ranked Houston as one of the best restaurant cities in America. The city is jam-packed with more than 8,000 tempting eateries that feature culinary flavors from more than 35 countries. With 56,405 acres of total park space, Houston rates first among the nation's 10 most populous cities in total acreage of park land. The 165 public and private golf courses around the city and teams in nearly every major professional sport keep sports fever high year-round. The city also employs over 22,000 full-time staff to keep the city running. We are always looking for everyone from Engineers to IT Professionals, from entry level to executive level. Check back here for current postings, follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cohcareers or on Twitter @COHCareers for all the up to date recruitment happenings!
Company Details
city-of-houston
10,445
99,475
92
houstontx.gov
0
CIT_3157075
In-progress
Between 650 and 699

CH Global Score (TPRM)XXXX

Description: The City of Houston inadvertently exposed a data breach affecting **7,525 current and former Houston Fire Department (HFD) employees** after sharing a link intended for promotion exam information. The link, distributed by the city’s Human Resources Director, granted unauthorized access to **non-password-protected folders containing Social Security numbers (SSNs)**. While the city initially blamed HFD members for accessing and downloading the data, the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association (HPFFA) denied responsibility, asserting the breach stemmed from the city’s failure to secure the link. The exposure was accidental, with no evidence of malicious intent, but it resulted in the compromise of sensitive employee PII (Personally Identifiable Information). The incident highlights systemic lapses in data protection protocols within municipal operations, raising concerns over accountability and internal safeguards for handling confidential records.
Description: Information about City of Houston employees’ health insurance was compromised after an employee’s laptop computer was stolen. The password-protected computer may have contained records, including names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and other medical information. Professionals are trained not to remove laptops from City offices unless sensitive data is encrypted but apparently one employee “failed to follow his training.”


City of Houston has 53.85% more incidents than the average of same-industry companies with at least one recorded incident.
City of Houston has 56.25% more incidents than the average of all companies with at least one recorded incident.
City of Houston reported 1 incidents this year: 0 cyber attacks, 0 ransomware, 0 vulnerabilities, 1 data breaches, compared to industry peers with at least 1 incident.
CH cyber incidents detection timeline including parent company and subsidiaries

Home to a respected and energetic cultural arts scene, celebrated restaurants featuring flavors from 35 countries, world-renowned theater groups and the brains behind U.S. space exploration, Houston is a diverse metropolis brimming with personality. With nearly 21,000 concerts, plays, exhibitions and other arts programs presented in Houston annually, residents and visitors have access to a wide variety of cultural programs. On any given night, it's a safe bet that there's a show somewhere in Houston's Theater District. More than 2 million people visit the Downtown area each year to attend one of the city's world-class performances. Within the Museum District you will find eighteen world-class institutions, including the Menil Collection, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and the Houston Museum of Natural Science are clustered in this area, drawing a reported seven million visitors to the district each year. Houston’s restaurant scene is as ethnically diverse as its 4 million residents. ForbesTraveler.com ranked Houston as one of the best restaurant cities in America. The city is jam-packed with more than 8,000 tempting eateries that feature culinary flavors from more than 35 countries. With 56,405 acres of total park space, Houston rates first among the nation's 10 most populous cities in total acreage of park land. The 165 public and private golf courses around the city and teams in nearly every major professional sport keep sports fever high year-round. The city also employs over 22,000 full-time staff to keep the city running. We are always looking for everyone from Engineers to IT Professionals, from entry level to executive level. Check back here for current postings, follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cohcareers or on Twitter @COHCareers for all the up to date recruitment happenings!


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Ontario Government | Gouvernement de l’Ontario The Ontario Government works to serve the public interest and uphold the public trust by providing Ministers with objective advice and expert guidance. The Ontario Public Service carries out the decisions and policies of the elected government with int

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Explore insights on cybersecurity incidents, risk posture, and Rankiteo's assessments.
The official website of City of Houston is http://www.houstontx.gov/.
According to Rankiteo, City of Houston’s AI-generated cybersecurity score is 689, reflecting their Weak security posture.
According to Rankiteo, City of Houston currently holds 0 security badges, indicating that no recognized compliance certifications are currently verified for the organization.
According to Rankiteo, City of Houston is not certified under SOC 2 Type 1.
According to Rankiteo, City of Houston does not hold a SOC 2 Type 2 certification.
According to Rankiteo, City of Houston is not listed as GDPR compliant.
According to Rankiteo, City of Houston does not currently maintain PCI DSS compliance.
According to Rankiteo, City of Houston is not compliant with HIPAA regulations.
According to Rankiteo,City of Houston is not certified under ISO 27001, indicating the absence of a formally recognized information security management framework.
City of Houston operates primarily in the Government Administration industry.
City of Houston employs approximately 10,445 people worldwide.
City of Houston presently has no subsidiaries across any sectors.
City of Houston’s official LinkedIn profile has approximately 99,475 followers.
City of Houston is classified under the NAICS code 92, which corresponds to Public Administration.
No, City of Houston does not have a profile on Crunchbase.
Yes, City of Houston maintains an official LinkedIn profile, which is actively utilized for branding and talent engagement, which can be accessed here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/city-of-houston.
As of November 27, 2025, Rankiteo reports that City of Houston has experienced 2 cybersecurity incidents.
City of Houston has an estimated 11,106 peer or competitor companies worldwide.
Incident Types: The types of cybersecurity incidents that have occurred include Data Leak and Breach.
Detection and Response: The company detects and responds to cybersecurity incidents through an incident response plan activated with yes (fire chief blocked unauthorized access after being notified), and containment measures with blocking access to the unsecured link, and communication strategy with internal letter from hr director (jane e. cheeks) to hfd members; public statements by hpffa president patrick lancton..
Title: Data Breach Due to Stolen Laptop
Description: Information about City of Houston employees’ health insurance was compromised after an employee’s laptop computer was stolen.
Type: Data Breach
Attack Vector: Physical Theft
Vulnerability Exploited: Unencrypted Data
Title: City of Houston Firefighters' Data Breach via Unsecured Link
Description: The City of Houston inadvertently shared a link intended for firefighters’ promotion exam information, which led at least one Houston Fire Department (HFD) employee to access unprotected folders containing Social Security numbers (SSNs) of 7,525 current and former HFD members. The city initially blamed HFD members for accessing the data, but the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association (HPFFA) denied responsibility, stating the breach was due to the city’s failure to secure the link. The access was described as inadvertent by city officials.
Type: Data Breach (Unintentional Exposure)
Attack Vector: Misconfigured/Unsecured Link (Human Error)
Vulnerability Exploited: Lack of Access Controls (No Password Protection)
Motivation: Accidental (No Malicious Intent)
Common Attack Types: The most common types of attacks the company has faced is Breach.

Data Compromised: Names, Addresses, Dates of birth, Social security numbers, Medical information

Data Compromised: Social security numbers (ssns)
Operational Impact: Potential Trust Erosion Between City and HFD Members; Reputational Harm
Brand Reputation Impact: Negative (Public Dispute Over Responsibility; Erosion of Trust in City's Data Handling)
Identity Theft Risk: High (SSNs of 7,525 Individuals Exposed)
Commonly Compromised Data Types: The types of data most commonly compromised in incidents are Personally Identifiable Information, Medical Information, , Social Security Numbers (Ssns) and .

Entity Name: City of Houston
Entity Type: Government
Industry: Public Sector
Location: Houston, Texas

Entity Name: City of Houston
Entity Type: Government (Municipal)
Industry: Public Administration
Location: Houston, Texas, USA

Entity Name: Houston Fire Department (HFD)
Entity Type: Government Agency (Fire/EMS)
Industry: Public Safety
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
Customers Affected: 7,525 (current and former HFD members)

Incident Response Plan Activated: Yes (Fire Chief Blocked Unauthorized Access After Being Notified)
Containment Measures: Blocking Access to the Unsecured Link
Communication Strategy: Internal Letter from HR Director (Jane E. Cheeks) to HFD Members; Public Statements by HPFFA President Patrick Lancton
Incident Response Plan: The company's incident response plan is described as Yes (Fire Chief Blocked Unauthorized Access After Being Notified).

Type of Data Compromised: Personally identifiable information, Medical information
Sensitivity of Data: High
Data Encryption: None
Personally Identifiable Information: NamesAddressesDates of BirthSocial Security numbers

Type of Data Compromised: Social security numbers (ssns)
Number of Records Exposed: 7,525
Sensitivity of Data: High (Personally Identifiable Information - PII)
Data Exfiltration: Yes (Downloaded by at Least One HFD Employee)
Data Encryption: No (Data Was Not Password-Protected)
Personally Identifiable Information: Yes (SSNs)
Handling of PII Incidents: The company handles incidents involving personally identifiable information (PII) through by blocking access to the unsecured link and .

Lessons Learned: Employees should strictly follow training guidelines, especially regarding the encryption of sensitive data when removing laptops from the office.

Lessons Learned: Importance of access controls for shared links, even when distributed internally; need for clear accountability in data handling processes; transparent communication during incident response to avoid blame-shifting.

Recommendations: Implement stricter policies for data encryption and ensure regular training for employees on data protection practices.

Recommendations: Implement mandatory password protection for all shared links containing sensitive data., Conduct regular audits of data-sharing practices to prevent unintentional exposures., Provide training for employees on secure data handling and reporting procedures., Establish a clear incident response protocol to avoid public disputes over responsibility.Implement mandatory password protection for all shared links containing sensitive data., Conduct regular audits of data-sharing practices to prevent unintentional exposures., Provide training for employees on secure data handling and reporting procedures., Establish a clear incident response protocol to avoid public disputes over responsibility.Implement mandatory password protection for all shared links containing sensitive data., Conduct regular audits of data-sharing practices to prevent unintentional exposures., Provide training for employees on secure data handling and reporting procedures., Establish a clear incident response protocol to avoid public disputes over responsibility.Implement mandatory password protection for all shared links containing sensitive data., Conduct regular audits of data-sharing practices to prevent unintentional exposures., Provide training for employees on secure data handling and reporting procedures., Establish a clear incident response protocol to avoid public disputes over responsibility.
Key Lessons Learned: The key lessons learned from past incidents are Employees should strictly follow training guidelines, especially regarding the encryption of sensitive data when removing laptops from the office.Importance of access controls for shared links, even when distributed internally; need for clear accountability in data handling processes; transparent communication during incident response to avoid blame-shifting.
Implemented Recommendations: The company has implemented the following recommendations to improve cybersecurity: Implement stricter policies for data encryption and ensure regular training for employees on data protection practices..

Source: KPRC 2 Investigates
Additional Resources: Stakeholders can find additional resources on cybersecurity best practices at and Source: KPRC 2 Investigates.

Investigation Status: Ongoing (Dispute Over Responsibility; No Formal Investigation Details Provided)
Communication of Investigation Status: The company communicates the status of incident investigations to stakeholders through Internal Letter From Hr Director (Jane E. Cheeks) To Hfd Members; Public Statements By Hpffa President Patrick Lancton.

Customer Advisories: Letter from HR Director Jane E. Cheeks to HFD Members
Advisories Provided: The company provides the following advisories to stakeholders and customers following an incident: were Letter From Hr Director Jane E. Cheeks To Hfd Members and .

Root Causes: Employee failed to follow training guidelines regarding data encryption.

Root Causes: Lack Of Access Controls (No Password Protection) For The Shared Link., Human Error In Distributing The Link Without Verifying Security Measures., Inadequate Oversight Of Data-Sharing Practices By The City Of Houston.,
Most Significant Data Compromised: The most significant data compromised in an incident were Names, Addresses, Dates of Birth, Social Security numbers, Medical Information, , Social Security Numbers (SSNs) and .
Containment Measures in Most Recent Incident: The containment measures taken in the most recent incident was Blocking Access to the Unsecured Link.
Most Sensitive Data Compromised: The most sensitive data compromised in a breach were Addresses, Medical Information, Social Security numbers, Social Security Numbers (SSNs), Dates of Birth and Names.
Number of Records Exposed in Most Significant Breach: The number of records exposed in the most significant breach was 7.5K.
Most Significant Lesson Learned: The most significant lesson learned from past incidents was Employees should strictly follow training guidelines, especially regarding the encryption of sensitive data when removing laptops from the office., Importance of access controls for shared links, even when distributed internally; need for clear accountability in data handling processes; transparent communication during incident response to avoid blame-shifting.
Most Significant Recommendation Implemented: The most significant recommendation implemented to improve cybersecurity was Conduct regular audits of data-sharing practices to prevent unintentional exposures., Implement mandatory password protection for all shared links containing sensitive data., Provide training for employees on secure data handling and reporting procedures., Implement stricter policies for data encryption and ensure regular training for employees on data protection practices. and Establish a clear incident response protocol to avoid public disputes over responsibility..
Most Recent Source: The most recent source of information about an incident is KPRC 2 Investigates.
Current Status of Most Recent Investigation: The current status of the most recent investigation is Ongoing (Dispute Over Responsibility; No Formal Investigation Details Provided).
Most Recent Customer Advisory: The most recent customer advisory issued was an Letter from HR Director Jane E. Cheeks to HFD Members.
Most Significant Root Cause: The most significant root cause identified in post-incident analysis was Employee failed to follow training guidelines regarding data encryption., Lack of access controls (no password protection) for the shared link.Human error in distributing the link without verifying security measures.Inadequate oversight of data-sharing practices by the City of Houston..
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Angular is a development platform for building mobile and desktop web applications using TypeScript/JavaScript and other languages. Prior to versions 19.2.16, 20.3.14, and 21.0.1, there is a XSRF token leakage via protocol-relative URLs in angular HTTP clients. The vulnerability is a Credential Leak by App Logic that leads to the unauthorized disclosure of the Cross-Site Request Forgery (XSRF) token to an attacker-controlled domain. Angular's HttpClient has a built-in XSRF protection mechanism that works by checking if a request URL starts with a protocol (http:// or https://) to determine if it is cross-origin. If the URL starts with protocol-relative URL (//), it is incorrectly treated as a same-origin request, and the XSRF token is automatically added to the X-XSRF-TOKEN header. This issue has been patched in versions 19.2.16, 20.3.14, and 21.0.1. A workaround for this issue involves avoiding using protocol-relative URLs (URLs starting with //) in HttpClient requests. All backend communication URLs should be hardcoded as relative paths (starting with a single /) or fully qualified, trusted absolute URLs.
Forge (also called `node-forge`) is a native implementation of Transport Layer Security in JavaScript. An Uncontrolled Recursion vulnerability in node-forge versions 1.3.1 and below enables remote, unauthenticated attackers to craft deep ASN.1 structures that trigger unbounded recursive parsing. This leads to a Denial-of-Service (DoS) via stack exhaustion when parsing untrusted DER inputs. This issue has been patched in version 1.3.2.
Forge (also called `node-forge`) is a native implementation of Transport Layer Security in JavaScript. An Integer Overflow vulnerability in node-forge versions 1.3.1 and below enables remote, unauthenticated attackers to craft ASN.1 structures containing OIDs with oversized arcs. These arcs may be decoded as smaller, trusted OIDs due to 32-bit bitwise truncation, enabling the bypass of downstream OID-based security decisions. This issue has been patched in version 1.3.2.
Suricata is a network IDS, IPS and NSM engine developed by the OISF (Open Information Security Foundation) and the Suricata community. Prior to versions 7.0.13 and 8.0.2, working with large buffers in Lua scripts can lead to a stack overflow. Users of Lua rules and output scripts may be affected when working with large buffers. This includes a rule passing a large buffer to a Lua script. This issue has been patched in versions 7.0.13 and 8.0.2. A workaround for this issue involves disabling Lua rules and output scripts, or making sure limits, such as stream.depth.reassembly and HTTP response body limits (response-body-limit), are set to less than half the stack size.
Suricata is a network IDS, IPS and NSM engine developed by the OISF (Open Information Security Foundation) and the Suricata community. In versions from 8.0.0 to before 8.0.2, a NULL dereference can occur when the entropy keyword is used in conjunction with base64_data. This issue has been patched in version 8.0.2. A workaround involves disabling rules that use entropy in conjunction with base64_data.

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