Cyberattack On Pipeline Running From Texas To The Northeast Linked To Criminal Gang

CBS Dallas/Fort Worth

May 10, 2021

The cyberextortion attempt that has forced the shutdown the largest fuel pipeline in the U.S. was carried out by a criminal gang known as DarkSide that cultivates a Robin Hood image of stealing from corporations and giving a cut to charity, two people close to the investigation said on May 9.

The shutdown, meanwhile, stretched into its third day, with the Biden administration loosening regulations for the transport of petroleum products on highways as part of an “all-hands-on-deck” effort to avoid disruptions in the fuel supply.

Experts said that gasoline prices are unlikely to be affected if the pipeline is back to normal in the next few days but that the incident — the worst cyberattack to date on critical U.S. infrastructure — should serve as a wake-up call to companies about the vulnerabilities they face.

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