Colonial Pipeline Ransomware Attack
May 2021 DarkSide ransomware attack that forced the shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline — the largest fuel pipeline in the U.S. — highlighting critical-infrastructure ransomware risk.
The May 2021 DarkSide ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline shut down U.S. East Coast fuel delivery for days, escalating ransomware to a national critical-infrastructure policy issue and driving CISA-sector guidance.
Definition
Ransomware intrusion targeting Colonial Pipeline IT systems via an internal VPN account; operators paid a ransom in Bitcoin, and OT systems were shut down defensively to prevent contamination of pipeline operations.
Why It Matters / Impact
Fuel distribution halted for ~5 days across the eastern U.S.; ransomware declared a federal critical-infrastructure priority; payment and recovery practices came under scrutiny.
Current Status
- Review status: published
- Last updated: 2026-08-26
- Evidence: 2 source(s) · 0 CVE(s) linked
- Confidence: 93%
Related Malware
Timeline
- 2021-05-06 — DarkSide breaches Colonial Pipeline IT network
- 2021-05-07 — Pipeline operators proactively halt fuel transport
- 2021-05-13 — Colonial Pipeline announces operational restart
Sources
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