The United States’ primary fuel pipeline provider, Colonial Pipeline has refuted recent claims of a ransomware attack by the Ransomed.vc gang, asserting that the reports are inaccurate.
The Alpharetta-based company, known for delivering approximately 45 per cent of the gasoline consumed on the East Coast, stated that the data posted online appears to originate from a third-party vendor rather than from the company itself.
A spokesperson for Colonial Pipeline clarified the situation, stating, “Colonial Pipeline is aware of unsubstantiated claims posted to an online forum that an unknown party has compromised its system. After working with our security and technology teams and our partners at CISA, we can confirm that there has been no disruption to pipeline operations, and our system is secure at this time.” The spokesperson further explained that the files posted online seemed to be linked to a third-party data breach unrelated to Colonial Pipeline.
The Ransomed.vc gang operates a Telegram channel where they publicly claim responsibility for their attacks. On Friday, they asserted that they attempted to extort Colonial Pipeline without success and shared a zip file containing purportedly stolen documents related to the company.
Interestingly, the post also featured a photo of Rob Lee, CEO of the incident response firm Dragos, who was actively involved in responding to the 2021 ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline.
In response to data theft claims, Lee dismissed them as fictitious and commented on Twitter, “When we wouldn’t pay their extortion attempt, they’ve been pretty ticked off since. They’ve dragged my name and the firm every chance they get.”
The 2021 ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline had a significant impact, shutting down operations for five days and causing disruptions at gas stations across the East Coast. Colonial Pipeline manages a network of approximately 5,500 miles of pipelines for transporting gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, home heating oil, and other refined oil products throughout the Southern and Eastern United States. In the wake of the attack, the company paid a US$5 million ransom, sparking nationwide discussions on ransomware threats and prompting the introduction of new cybersecurity regulations for pipeline operators.
