US to issue first cyber security regulation for pipelines after cyberattack

The U.S. government is planning to issue its first cyber security regulations for pipelines, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday.

This move comes after the Colonial Pipeline hack that destroyed fuel supplies in the southeastern United States earlier this month.

A senior DHS officials told the newspaper, “the Transportation Security Administration, a unit of the Department of Homeland Security, would require pipeline companies to report cyber incidents to federal authorities.”

It has planned  to give out a security directive this week.

Earlier this month, a ransom ware cyber-attack led the Colonial Pipeline to shut down the main part of its network.

The FBI had accused a criminal gang called DarkSide of the ransomware attack. The gang is said to be based in Russia or Eastern Europe.

Colonial Pipeline Company, circulates around 45 per cent of all petrol and diesel consumed on the east coast of the US.