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“Clear and present threat”: three years on from Colonial Pipeline attack

Published by , Senior Editor
World Pipelines,


Marty Edwards, Deputy CTO for OT/IoT, Tenable:

“The cybersecurity attack on Colonial Pipeline was a clear demonstration of how disruptions of privately-owned infrastructure can have a massive economic impact. Since then, we’ve seen countless other high-profile cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure. In 2023 alone, IC3 received 1193 complaints indicating critical infrastructure organisations were victims of ransomware attacks. These are voluntary reports, the actual number of attacks is unknown – and likely much higher.

“Efforts to infiltrate the underlying systems that support not only our daily lives but also our economies are emerging as an acute national security risk. These attacks are being executed by ransomware gangs and well-funded global adversaries that don't share western values. Last month, cybersecurity researchers linked a January 2024 attack on a Texas water facility to Sandworm, an infamous Russian threat group.

“There is a clear and present threat that we cannot afford to ignore.

“The US has implemented new legislation in the wake of Colonial Pipeline – Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act (CIRCIA). The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency recently proposed a rule that would require critical infrastructure organisations to report cybersecurity incidents. However, the rule will not go into effect until 2026. While organisations have become increasingly transparent about incidents as they happen or soon after, we need transparency now to prevent future catastrophic cyberattacks. We’ve witnessed the success of this collaboration in action after the attack on Unitronics PLCs in Aliquippa, PA. Industries and government officials have demonstrated they know how to work together, but collectively we have to be open and dedicated to continuing this practice.”

 

 

Read the latest issue of World Pipelines magazine for pipeline news, project stories, industry insight and technical articles.

World Pipelines’ May 2024 issue

The May 2024 issue of World Pipelines features our annual focus on pipelines in extreme environments (hear from Michels, Vacuworx, and RMI). The keynote section on pipelines and the environment covers methane emissions, new CO2 transport options, and technologies for environmentally friendly delivery of energy. Also in this issue: the trials of a new inline inspection tool (STATS Group), and is DCVG inspection obsolete, asks EMPIT GmbH?

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/business-news/13052024/clear-and-present-threat-three-years-on-from-colonial-pipeline-attack/

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Pipeline cybersecurity news