Digital Forensics Dispatch

Ransomware Shuts Down Colonial Pipeline, The Largest Oil Supply Line for the Eastern U.S.

May 11, 2021

Andy Greenberg from Wired reports that an attack against the Colonial Pipeline Company’s network caused them to shut down a large portion of their pipeline. The company is responsible for providing 45% of the gasoline, natural gas and diesel fuels to much of the Eastern states. The company shut down parts of pipeline in order to contain the threat against their network and systems.  Greenberg writes “The incident represents one of the largest disruptions of American critical infrastructure by hackers in history.”

A statement from Colonial Pipeline explains that the company has begun an investigation into the incident, and that its investigation is currently ongoing. The release from Colonial Pipeline, which was last updated May 9, 2020, states that the company determined that ransomware was involved in the incident. The company’s statement also indicates that they have retained leading third-party cybersecurity experts to assist in the investigation to determine the scope and nature of the incident. They are also working in conjunction with law enforcement and other federal agencies.

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