United States has recently seen cyber-attacks on 7 natural gas pipeline operators. The attackers targeted 3rd party communications system Latitude Technologies. The result was that several services broke down. It’s still unclear whether any customer data was stolen in these attacks. Additionally, 4 pipeline providers namely Oneok, Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, Energy Transfer Partners and Eastern Shore Natural Gas confirmed that even they were attacked. This is a double-edged sword because energy industry continues to grow and increasingly become more and more dependent on automation and internet. The industry is particularly vulnerable to these attacks because of the invaluable amounts of customer information, profiles of customers, energy strategies, and business data.
Cybersecurity experts say that these hackers could potentially cause spills, fires, and service disruptions all from the comfort of their own home.
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