To embed, copy and paste the code into your website or blog: Colonial Pipeline shut down 5,500 miles of its East Coast pipeline on May 7, 2021, in an effort to contain a security breach resulting from a ransomware attack. Colonial’s pipeline is one of the nation’s largest and carries refined gasoline and jet fuel from Texas up the East Coast to New York. This represents nearly 45% of the fuel consumed on the East Coast. Ransomware attacks have increased in recent years, affecting many industries from banks, universities, and cities. Generally, a ransomware attack is a coordinated effort by computer hackers to lock up and freeze computer systems in order to demand large sums of money to then free up the computer systems. The recent cyberattack on Colonial Pipeline has resulted in gas shortages and panic buying across the southeastern United States, and highlights concerns over the security of critical infrastructure.