Colonial Pipeline, a major U.S. fuel pipeline operator, was hit by a ransomware cyberattack on Friday and shut down its entire fuel pipeline delivery system in an emergency to contain the spread of the threat. Nearly half of the fuel on the U.S. East Coast is transported through the company’s pipelines. The company’s 8,850-kilometer pipeline connects refineries in the Gulf Coast region to the eastern and southern parts of the United States, transporting 2.5 million barrels of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other refined oil products each day.
President Biden said Monday afternoon in the East Room of the White House that the hackers of the cyberattack were in Russia.
I will meet with President Putin,” President Biden said. At this point, according to our intelligence people, there is no evidence that Russia was involved. But there is evidence that the source of the ransomware is inside Russia. They have part of the responsibility to come to grips with that.”
President Biden said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Friday has urgently relaxed certain restrictions on fuel trucks, allowing fuel that could not be delivered because of the pipeline closure to be delivered by truck, reducing the impact on livelihoods and oil prices.
U.S. Homeland Security Advisor Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall and Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technologies Anne Neuberger said at a White House press briefing on Monday that the incident was assessed to have no impact on gas prices, and that it was known to be a cyber criminal targeting private businesses. The act, so towards the criminal side of the investigation, but if found to be related to other government organizations, will also introduce sanctions.
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