Colonial Pipeline CEO Explains Why He Made Ransomware Hackers Rich
20 May 2021
The CEO of Colonial Pipeline, Joseph Blount, has attempted to explain why he chose to pay a $4.4 million ransom to hackers that took the pipeline’s system hostage. According to one expert, the Colonial Pipeline payoff will “help keep United States critical infrastructure providers in the crosshairs.”
The
Wall Street Journalreports that the CEO of the Colonial Pipeline, Joseph Blount, recently explained why he chose to pay hackers a $4.4 million ransom in order to regain access to the pipeline’s systems.
Blount recently acknowledges that the company paid the ransom, saying that it was an option that he felt he had to exercise given the danger involved in the shutdown of such critical energy infrastructure.
Waikato DHB cyber attack hackers make contact with health bosses
19 May, 2021 07:14 AM
4 minutes to read
Waikato DHB s IT centre is the target of a major cyber security attack. Video / Waikato DHB
Waikato DHB s IT centre is the target of a major cyber security attack. Video / Waikato DHB
Ben Leahy is a reporter for the New Zealand HeraldBen.Leahy@nzherald.co.nz
Hackers claiming to be behind a cyber attack that led to surgeries being postponed at Waikato public hospitals this week have made contact with health officials.
Tuesday s attack brought the Waikato District Health Board s entire IT network down, with officials now hoping to get the system back up and running by the weekend.
I WOULD like to draw the kind attention of all to foreign news agencies’ articles republished in local media that defame the Russian Federation, such as a recent report implying that Russia provides safe harbour for ransomware.
I would like to make two comments. Firstly, ICT-related crimes are a common challenge for the whole world, and Russia is one of the biggest victims: our economy lost more than US$33bil (RM136bil) in 2019 because of hackers’ activities, and the still uncalculated losses in 2020 are expected to be much higher.
Secondly, the huge batch of official documents revealed some years ago by Wikileaks regarding government-backed cyberattacks were not about Russia.
WASHINGTON: The US pipeline network shut down by a cyber attack said on Saturday it has returned to fully normal operations, easing concerns but not immediately ending gas shortages affecting many.