The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issued its second Security Directive to the pipeline industry on July 20, 2021, following the Colonial Pipeline cybersecurity incident. The first Directive on May 27, 2021, required pipeline owners and operators to notify CISA of cyber incidents, designate a cyber coordinator for the company, and review their cybersecurity program.
colonial pipeline
Another Win for Justice Department: Slilpp Marketplace Takedown
People always ask me if law enforcement is having any luck in combatting cyber criminals. Let me be clear: it is a very tough job to take down cyber criminals located in other countries or sponsored by foreign nations. Our government is focusing on cyber criminals more than I have ever seen before, and the…
Recent Ransomware Attacks Call for More Oversight of Crypto-Transactions
After the attacks on JBS and Colonial Pipeline, the U.S. Treasury Department will likely consider increasing its enforcement of anti-money-laundering laws and adopt new reporting requirements for cryptocurrency transactions.
In ransomware attacks, hackers demand payments after locking victims out of their computer networks; de-anonymizing payments could create a disincentive for these hackers to continue pushing…
Privacy Tip #287 – Double Down on Passwords
It has been reported by Bloomberg Law that the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack was caused by a “single compromised password.” The Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack had consumers hoarding gasoline and disrupted distribution of gas along the east coast. One single compromised password.
Colonial Pipeline paid $4.4 million in ransom following the attack, although the Department…
Prometheus Ransomware Targeting Manufacturing Sector
Since the Colonial Pipeline and JBS meat manufacturing security incidents, attention is finally being paid to the cybersecurity vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure in the U.S. and in particular, the potential effect on day to day life and national security if large and significant manufacturers’ production are disrupted. In the wake of these recent incidents in…
Colonial Pipeline Hit with Class Action for Inflated Prices
Colonial Pipeline was hit with a proposed class action suit this week by a resident of North Carolina who alleges that he had to purchase gasoline at inflated prices due to the “unlawfully deficient data security” of Colonial, which allowed a ransomware attack to shut a pipeline down.
According to allegations in the suit, the…
Colonial Pays Millions in Ransomware Attack on Pipeline
Colonial Pipeline paid hackers a ransom of $4.4 million in bitcoin soon after discovering a cybersecurity hack on its systems that began on May 6. The company’s acknowledgement comes after days of speculation about whether a ransom was paid to the hackers. The company’s CEO defended the “difficult” decision to pay the ransom, maintaining he…
President Biden Signs Executive Order to Strengthen Cybersecurity for Federal Government Following Colonial Pipeline Attack
President Joe Biden signed an Executive Order on Wednesday, May 12, 2021, on the heels of the cyber-attack against Colonial Pipeline Co., which suffered a major ransomware attack late last week that has caused supply chain issues in the Southeast.
The Order is intended to show that the federal government is taking a leadership role…
Crippling Ransomware Attack on Pipeline Exposes Vulnerabilities in U.S. Critical Infrastructure
Colonial Pipeline, a company that transports more than 100 million gallons of gasoline and other fuel daily across 14 states from Houston to New York Harbor, shut down the pipeline last Friday after discovering ransomware on its computer systems. The FBI has blamed the attack on a ransomware group called DarkSide.
The hack reportedly began…
Colonial Pipeline Up and Running After Five Days of Grappling with Ransomware Attack
It is being reported late on May 12, 2021, that Colonial Pipeline is returning to full operations following a devastating ransomware attack that was discovered on May 7, 2021. Colonial took its systems offline that day following the attack, which caused supply chain issues particularly in the Southeast.
Colonial Pipeline, the largest gasoline pipeline in…