The Latest Insights

Ransomware attack forces shutdown of largest fuel pipeline in the U.S.

Written by Astron Energy | May 14, 2021 12:19:28 PM

Colonial Pipeline, the operator of the America’s largest fuel pipeline, fell victim to a cybersecurity attack on Friday 7 May that involved ransomware, forcing it to temporarily shut down all pipeline operations.

Ransomware is a form of malware that encrypts a victim's files. The attacker then demands a ransom from the victim to restore access to the data upon payment. 

The attack on Colonial Pipeline means that there could be potential sporadic outages if a specific terminal was relying on a delivery in the coming days and is now delayed.

Click here to read the original article as reported on by Emma Newburger for CNBC.