Quote:A ransomware attack is being blamed for halting pipeline activities for the Colonial Pipeline Company, which supplies the East Coast with roughly 45 percent of it liquid fuels.
 
In a statement released Saturday, the Colonial Pipeline Company said it temporarily halted pipeline operations in response to a cyberattack impacting the company on Friday.
 
“On May 7, the Colonial Pipeline Company learned it was the victim of a cybersecurity attack. We have since determined that this incident involves ransomware,” the company wrote in a Saturday statement.
As a precaution the company proactively took key systems offline to avoid further infections.
 
“In response, we proactively took certain systems offline to contain the threat, which has temporarily halted all pipeline operations, and affected some of our IT systems,” the company stated. “Upon learning of the issue, a leading, third-party cybersecurity firm was engaged, and they have launched an investigation into the nature and scope of this incident, which is ongoing.”
 
The company, which delivers gasoline and diesel fuel to the East Coast, said it has also contacted law enforcement and other federal agencies. “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,” according to the statement.