Major U.S. pipeline system shut down after cyber attack

[hazelnut]

Quote

Top U.S. fuel pipeline operator Colonial Pipeline has temporarily shut down all its pipeline operations after being hit by a cybersecurity attack, the company said in a statement on Friday.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/05/08/cyber-attack-colonial-pipeline/

[Willy2]

- Perhaps the pipeline still used Windows XP ?

[Andavari]

10 hours ago, Willy2 said:

- Perhaps the pipeline still used Windows XP ?

That's what I was thinking.

Just a few weeks ago they showed on TV some Covid research clinic person in an interview, the most interesting thing was the computer monitor in the background which had WinXP on it.

[hazelnut]

Quote

The Colonial Pipeline resumed limited shipments on Monday, delivering fuel from North Carolina to a terminal in Maryland, in the first stage of what still could be a slow restarting of the main pipeline from Houston's refineries to the East Coast after a cyberattack forced its shutdown last week.

 

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/05/10/colonial-pipeline-cyberattack-restart-486582

[nukecad]

It's a bit of a strange one because it was a ransomware attack on their admin and records, and not anything that would physically compromise the distribution pipeline or equipment.

It was the company that shut down the pipeline and equipment themselves.
Whether that's an unnecessary 'Panic mode' or a sensible precaution depends on your point of view.

I would have thought that anything intended to do physical damage wouldn't announce itself by encrypting files first, it would go straight for the target.
The first you'd know would be when something happened, like all the release valves suddenly being jammed open remotely and spilling fuel oil everywhere.

But if you are not sure what the attack is then shutting everything down as a precaution makes sense.

The hackers responsible, Darkside, have made a statement for what it's worth:
"We are apolitical, we do not participate in geopolitics, do not need to tie us with a defined government and look for our motives.
Our goal is to make money, and not creating problems for society.
From today we introduce moderation and check each company that our partners want to encrypt to avoid social consequences in the future."

[hazelnut]

Some US gas stations start to run dry as large queues (and prices) build up

[Andavari]

On 11/05/2021 at 23:42, hazelnut said:

Some US gas stations start to run dry as large queues (and prices) build up

It was reported on the news that some gas stations are out of fuel due to people hoarding it. These eerily seems like last year when toilet paper disappeared entirely for a long time due to people hoarding it.