Emily Taylor: Fuel pipeline cyber-attack is ‘extortion’
A ransomware attack on the US Colonial Pipeline was not a surprise, as experts have been warning of increased attacks, Oxford Information Labs chief executive Emily Taylor has said.
She told BBC World News: “Experts have been warning about increased rates of ransomware attacks and also the vulnerability of critical infrastructure such as this pipeline has been well known in cyber-security circles for some time.
“So in one way it is not a surprise – but it is always unfortunate when it happens, of course.”
The Colonial Pipeline carries 45% of the US east coast’s supply of diesel, gasoline and jet fuel – 2.5 million barrels a day.
The operator took itself offline on Friday, after the cyber-attack, and work to restore service is continuing.
