Security Boulevard Community Chats Webinars Library The Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack: Lessons for cybersecurity teams
The recent ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline is reportedly one of the most significant cyberattacks on the energy sector till date, and it has overwhelmed cybersecurity experts across the globe. On April 29, 2021, Colonial Pipeline—the company that runs the largest fuel pipeline in the US, transporting around 45% of fuel used on the East Coast—was attacked by hackers from the criminal group DarkSide. As a result, the company temporarily shut down its entire network, leading to severe fuel shortages and a spike in gas prices. Although Colonial Pipeline resumed its services within two weeks of the shutdown, the bad actors still wrecked one of the nation’s most critical energy resources, affecting over 50 million residents, all while getting paid a ransom of $4.4 million in return (although some of the ransom has since been seized by the authorities).