Cyberattack shuts down U.S. pipeline

A double-extortion attack that has shut down the Colonial Pipeline – America’s most extensive refined fuel network – is the most successful cyberattack to date on critical U.S. infrastructure


Colonial Pipeline: Spans 8,850km, transports 2.5 million barrels of refined fuel per day

UNITED STATES
LOUISIANA
Houston, TEXAS
MISSISSIPPI
Nashville, TENNESSEE
VIRGINIA
Linden, NEW JERSEY
Birmingham, ALABAMA
FLORIDA
Atlanta, GEORGIA
Selma, NORTH CAROLINA
400km 250 miles


Ransomware: Hackers encrypt access to target’s data and demand ransom payment in order to restore access

Extortionware: Hackers encrypt and steal sensitive data. Double threat – ransom to decrypt data plus threat to leak or sell stolen information if additional payment is not made


Ransom and extortion demand costs*
(selected countries, US$, 2020) 
*Attacks reported to identification service ID Ransomware

U.S. 		23,661 attacks	$920.35m
Italy 		9,226		$346.73m
Spain 		8,475		$298.25m
France 		7,824		$283.82m
Germany 	7,138		$252.61m
UK 		4,788		$169.18m
Canada 		4,257		$164.77m
Australia	2,775		$105.98m
Austria 	1,254, $46.64m
New Zealand	399, $14.23m


$2.60 billion
Paid in 69,797 known extortion attacks in 2020†
 
$37,288
per attack


†Only one in four attacks reported to ID Ransomware


Sources: Associated Press, Bloomberg, Emsisoft, Reuters 
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