Security News > 2021 > May > U.S. Declares Emergency in 17 States Over Fuel Pipeline Cyber Attack
The ransomware attack against Colonial Pipeline's networks has prompted the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to issue a regional emergency declaration in 17 states and the District of Columbia.
"Such [an] emergency is in response to the unanticipated shutdown of the Colonial pipeline system due to network issues that affect the supply of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other refined petroleum products throughout the Affected States," the directive said.
The development comes as the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation confirmed the disruption of one of the country's largest pipelines over the weekend was orchestrated by Darkside ransomware.
The cyberattack forced the company to shut down 5,500 miles of fuel pipeline from the Texas city of Houston to New York harbor, raising concerns about the vulnerability of the U.S. energy infrastructure to cyberattacks.
"Colonial Pipeline is continuing to work in partnership with third-party cybersecurity experts, law enforcement, and other federal agencies to restore pipeline operations quickly and safely," Colonial Pipeline said in a statement.
While the U.S. government on Monday said there was no evidence to imply that Russia was involved in the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack, the operators of the DarkSide ransomware issued a statement on their dark web extortion site, pledging it intends to vet the companies its affiliates are targeting going forward to "Avoid social consequences in the future."