Published: Wednesday, May 19, 2021
Aerial view of Colonial Pipeline fuel tanks. Photo credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Fuel holding tanks are seen at Colonial Pipeline Co. s Dorsey Junction Station in Woodbine, Md. The company has shed light on some of its cybersecurity practices leading up to a hack of its systems this month that disrupted eastern U.S. gasoline supplies. Drew Angerer/Getty Images
The pipeline company at the center of the most disruptive cyberattack in U.S. energy history says it followed defensive guidelines set by the government and private sector.
But a ransomware cyberattack this month still forced Colonial Pipeline Co. to shut down its 5,500-mile system, which supplies nearly half the fuel used along the U.S. East Coast. The weeklong disruption led to panic buying at gas stations and an outcry for more stringent and enforceable cybersecurity measures for the oil and gas industry.
Ransomware groups are fleeing the spotlight in the wake of increased scrutiny by U.S. law enforcement after the hack of Colonial Pipeline. Researchers say it's unlikely they'll stay offline for good.