Prioritizing a Proper Response to the Colonial Pipeline Hack.
The best way to get the American public’s attention is to hit them in their wallets, especially if it happens at the gas pump. Still, inviting the ire of the entire East Coast and commanding headlines of major news publications for a week was certainly not what the DarkSide ransomware group had in mind when they targeted Colonial Pipeline’s IT infrastructure. On May 7th, DarkSide launched a ransomware attack against Colonial Pipeline, resulting in a shutdown of their entire operation and an eventual ransom payment of $5 million.
It seems that the most powerful nation in the history of the world has a major issue with cyber threats…
While most Americans were wrapped up in the more sensational parts of the story—plastic bags filled with gas or the mysterious perpetrator and any possible ties they may have to the Russian government—there is a more serious underlying issue that is garnering less attention. It seems that the most powerful nation in the history of the world has a major issue with cyber threats, and despite some promising solutions that are being implemented as a result of this recent hack, there is still a prioritization issue and an ongoing ignorance about the proper path forward.
Ironically, not many people know what good cyber security hygiene looks like despite spending most of their days within the cyber world. Part of that can be explained away by the novelty of this new way of living where we are permanently connected, but the amount of time left to use that excuse is running out. Americans are soon going to wake up to find that all their personal data is littered throughout the world’s computer infrastructure, just waiting for a crafty hacker to steal.
Thankfully, the blinders are starting to lift, ever so slightly, as drivers are confronted with the price to fill up—if they can find gas at all.
Out of service gas pump.
CALCULATE THE RISK, THEN ASSUME BREACH
Businesses are not ignorant of the dangers that they face, especially after the high-profile cyber attacks targeting SolarWinds’ software and Microsoft Exchange servers. The…
