Critical Infrastructure News

The Justice Department on Monday announced it has successfully seized millions of dollars in cryptocurrency Colonial Pipeline paid to the cyber criminal group Darkside following last month's ransomware attack that led the pipeline to briefly shut down its operations, according to a seizure warrant unsealed Monday afternoon.

"Earlier today, the Department of Justice has found and recaptured the majority of the ransom Colonial paid to the Darkside network in the wake of last month's ransomware attack. Ransomware attacks are always unacceptable -- but when they target critical infrastructure, we will spare no effort in our response," Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said at a news conference.

Read more at ABC News

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on Sunday called for more public-private cooperation on cyber defenses and said U.S. adversaries already are capable of using cyber intrusions to shut down the U.S. power grid.

“I think that there are very malign actors who are trying,” she said. She added: “Even as we speak, there are thousands of attacks on all aspects of the energy sector and the private sector generally.”

Granholm noted, without mentioning the company by name, that Colonial Pipeline Co. was hit in May with a crippling cyberattack by a ransomware group. Colonial temporarily shut down its gasoline distribution networks in the South before paying $4.4 million to the hackers. She urged energy companies to resist paying ransom.

Read more: AP News