United States: cyberattack on pipeline operator, state of emergency declared
Colonial Pipeline oil storage site in Charlotte, North Carolina (illustrative image).
via REUTERS - COLONIAL PIPELINE
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
In the United States, the fuel supply to the East Coast severely disrupted after a cyberattack.
The operation targeted the largest oil pipeline in the country.
President Joe Biden has just declared a state of emergency.
Publicity
Read more
With our correspondent in the United States,
Loubna Anaki
It's a race against time that is going on right now within
Colonial Pipeline
.
The company, which is one of the largest oil pipeline operators in the United States, was the victim of a cyberattack on Friday, May 7.
Hackers are said to have taken control of hundreds of gigabytes of data and demand a ransom in return.
As a precaution and to limit the damage caused by this intrusion, the company has taken a large part of its servers offline.
The largest oil pipeline out of service
Result: the largest oil pipeline in the country has been out of service for three days.
The fuel supply to much of the southern and northeastern United States may be affected.
Colonial Pipeline operates a network that transports more than 380 million liters of fuel oil every day.
Airports will run out of fuel
According to experts, if this situation lasts too long, some airports in particular will run out of fuel, gasoline prices may increase.
Colonial Pipeline has indicated that its services work in collaboration with authorities and cybersecurity specialists.
On Sunday evening, Joe Biden declared a state of emergency.
A measure that allows Colonial Pipeline to transport fuel by road.
►
Read also: Oil: California will ban hydraulic fracturing from 2024
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
United States
Oil
Raw materials
Transport
On the same subject
Canada takes the hit after Joe Biden suspends Keystone XL pipeline
Raw materials chronicle
Texas cold snap cripples U.S. oil and gas industry
Raw materials chronicle
Will Joe Biden rush to bury the Keystone XL pipeline project?