Colonial Pipeline ransomware hack and gas shortage fears: What you need to know - CNET

A weekend shutdown of the pipeline is still playing out along the East Coast.

Colonial Pipeline was the target of a ransomware attack that forced it to shut down operations.

Colonial Pipeline, which operates the main gas artery along the East Coast, shut down the pipeline Friday after discovering ransomware on its computer systems.

The company, which operates pipelines for gasoline, jet fuel and other refined petroleum products, halted pipeline operations after discovering the hack.

In a statement, Colonial said it "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 shut down the East Coast pipeline and said in a statement that it's aiming for "substantially restoring operational service by the end of the week.".

The White House said Tuesday evening the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and Department of Energy are working with industry on guidelines to secure critical infrastructure, sharing details on the attack that hit Colonial Pipeline and providing recommendations to reduce the likelihood of future incidents.

A Department of Transportation agency posted a regional emergency declaration for 18 states and Washington, DC, "in response to the unanticipated shutdown of the Colonial pipeline system due to network issues that affect the supply of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other refined petroleum products throughout the Affected States." The declaration is designed to keep the fuel supply on the East Coast flowing.

"There is no need to rush to top off your gas tanks or hoard gas," McMaster wrote, "the pipeline is expected to resume operations by the end of the week."