After a cyber-attack that involved ransomware, the US-colonial pipeline has shut its entire network.
The colonial pipeline network is the source of nearly half of the East Coast's fuel supply.
Friday's incident limelights on the vulnerability of the US energy infrastructure to cyber-attacks. The attack is said to be one of the most disruptive ever reported.
A prolonged shutdown of the line would cause prices to spike at gasoline pumps ahead of peak summer driving season, a potential blow to US consumers and the economy.
“This is as close as you can get to the jugular of infrastructure in the United States,” said Amy Myers Jaffe, research professor and managing director of the Climate Policy Lab. “It’s not a major pipeline. It’s the pipeline.”
The company said it shut down its operations after learning of a cyberattack on Friday using ransomware.
“Colonial Pipeline is taking steps to understand and resolve this issue. At this time, our primary focus is the safe and efficient restoration of our service and our efforts to return to normal operation,” it said.
