Over the weekend, Colonial Pipeline came under a cybersecurity attack that involved ransomware, forcing it to temporarily shut down all pipeline operations. The service disruption of the largest fuel pipeline in the United States has raised concern that the outage could lead to fuel shortages and surging gas prices.
The pipeline confirmed on Saturday that it was the victim of a ransomware attack, leading the the company to take certain systems offline to contain the threat, including all pipeline operations and some IT systems. The company has also enlisted the service of a third-party cybersecurity firm to help with its investigation, but did not disclose which company.
On Monday, Colonial Pipeline updated that it is restoring pipeline operations in a "stepwise fashion" alongside the U.S. Department of Energy, which is leading and coordinating the Biden administration's response to the cybersecurity attack.
The Colonial Pipeline is a private firm transports more than 100 million gallons of fuel daily between the Gulf of Mexico and the New York Harbor, meeting the fuel needs of more than a dozen U.S. states.
"Restoring our network to normal operations is a process that requires the diligent remediation of our systems, and this takes time," Colonial Pipeline said in a media statement updated on Monday. "In response to the cybersecurity attack on our system, we proactively took certain systems offline to contain the threat, which temporarily halted all pipeline operations, and affected some of our IT systems. To restore service, we must work to ensure that each of these systems can be brought back online safely.
The pipeline confirmed on Saturday that it was the victim of a ransomware attack, leading the the company to take certain systems offline to contain the threat, including all pipeline operations and some IT systems. The company has also enlisted the service of a third-party cybersecurity firm to help with its investigation, but did not disclose which company.
"While this situation remains fluid and continues to evolve, the Colonial operations team is executing a plan that involve an incremental process that will facilitate a return to service in a phased approach," the pipeline operator added. The company hopes to restore full operations by the end of the week, and will continue to provide updates on the progress of its restoration efforts.
On Monday, Colonial Pipeline updated that it is restoring pipeline operations in a "stepwise fashion" alongside the U.S. Department of Energy, which is leading and coordinating the Biden administration's response to the cybersecurity attack.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has formally blamed a criminal hacking group known as Darkside as the perpetrators behind the ransomware attack, according to the New York Times. The FBI also issued an emergency alert to all electric utilities, gas suppliers and other pipeline operators to look out for code that looks like the kind that affected Colonial Pipeline.
"Restoring our network to normal operations is a process that requires the diligent remediation of our systems, and this takes time," Colonial Pipeline said in a media statement updated on Monday. "In response to the cybersecurity attack on our system, we proactively took certain systems offline to contain the threat, which temporarily halted all pipeline operations, and affected some of our IT systems. To restore service, we must work to ensure that each of these systems can be brought back online safely.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement that the Biden administration is monitoring supply shortages in the Southeast and has directed agencies across the federal government to use their resources to help alleviate potential shortages as they arise.
"While this situation remains fluid and continues to evolve, the Colonial operations team is executing a plan that involve an incremental process that will facilitate a return to service in a phased approach," the pipeline operator added. The company hopes to restore full operations by the end of the week, and will continue to provide updates on the progress of its restoration efforts.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has formally blamed a criminal hacking group known as Darkside as the perpetrators behind the ransomware attack, according to the New York Times. The FBI also issued an emergency alert to all electric utilities, gas suppliers and other pipeline operators to look out for code that looks like the kind that affected Colonial Pipeline.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement that the Biden administration is monitoring supply shortages in the Southeast and has directed agencies across the federal government to use their resources to help alleviate potential shortages as they arise.
