Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

“This is a Private Sector Decision” – WH Officials Say They Have Not Offered Advice to Colonial Pipeline on Whether to Pay Ransom to Hackers (VIDEO)
GP ^ | May 10, 2021 | Cristina Laila

Posted on 05/10/2021 1:51:06 PM PDT by White Lives Matter

The Biden Administration believes cyberterrorism that prompted the largest refinery to shut down two crude units, paralyzing gas distribution, is a “private sector decision.”

White House officials on Monday said they have not offered advice to Colonial Pipeline on whether to pay ransom to hackers who shut down a vital US pipeline.

(Excerpt) Read more at thegatewaypundit.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; Military/Veterans; Politics
KEYWORDS: colonialpipeline; joebiden; oilandgasindustry; ransomware
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-57 last
To: DesertRhino

Apparently a couple of little hot shot hackers have already tracked it back to the FBI. 😮 Shocka!


41 posted on 05/10/2021 4:12:45 PM PDT by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Savage Beast
Anybody know who’s behind the hack?

A hacker group called Darkside:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/05/10/colonial-pipeline-gas-oil-markets/

If Colonial plans to be back in operation by the end of the week, as stated in my linked article, then they either have restored backups or they paid DarkSide's ransom.

42 posted on 05/10/2021 4:16:01 PM PDT by TChad (The MSM, having nuked its own credibility, is now bombing the rubble.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: White Lives Matter

Does this mean then, Joe, that constructing the Keystone XL Pipeline is a Private Sector Decision as well?


43 posted on 05/10/2021 4:18:07 PM PDT by Yo-Yo (is the /sarc tag really necessary?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: White Lives Matter

From someone who worked in IT for 30 years before retirement, good backups can almost always prevent ransomeware. Some data will always be lost in restoring the backups but not nearly as much as replacing it all. And you won’t have to pay the hackers.

But before any of that happens, time to get a really knowledgeable consultant in there to go through the whole system and point out the weak points.


44 posted on 05/10/2021 4:20:38 PM PDT by upchuck (Corporations don’t pay taxes. They collect them. From us. ~ h/t Little Ray)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TChad
Restoring the backups should recreate the system.

The backups themselves may well be poisoned with malware. One must proceed with extreme caution.

Ransomware attacks are often an "exit strategy" after the intruders have gained administrative control of a system and spent a lot of time copying everything of value from it. They may have been in the system for weeks.

They also may spend a lot of time planting additional malware loaders into the system to allow them to make return visits after they have received a ransom payment. And fragments from the original infestation may remain and accidentally come back to life even if the thieves believe they have disabled them

Troubles may continue long after a ransom has been paid. Decryptors may not work correctly on some encrypted files.

Quality control is not a strong point of ransomware applications.

"The only safe option is to take off and nuke it from orbit"

45 posted on 05/10/2021 4:37:22 PM PDT by flamberge (Time has run out. Work with what you've got.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: White Lives Matter

The biden admin is waiting to see if Iran did it before they recommend paying.


46 posted on 05/10/2021 5:43:44 PM PDT by pas
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: livius

What are the consequences of this crisis? Precisely what the Marxists in control desire, higher fuel prices, greater shortages, and general chaos in the economy. That being the case is there any reason to believe the Deep State is not the culprit?


47 posted on 05/10/2021 5:43:55 PM PDT by Louis Foxwell (RISE UP O MEN OF GOD. BE DONE WITH LESSER THINGS.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: flamberge

A bunch of good points. Thanks.


48 posted on 05/10/2021 6:27:52 PM PDT by TChad (The MSM, having nuked its own credibility, is now bombing the rubble.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: Captain Peter Blood

Don’t pipelines have manual valve system? If so, go physical. Then separate the computerized operational system from the physical operational system and start over. It may take a few weeks.

Their non physical operations (accounting, hr, etc. are a different story). That would take months and months to restore.

In the mean time send over the Delta Force and get the scalps of each and every Dark Force Member.


49 posted on 05/10/2021 7:31:15 PM PDT by Chgogal (Hey Biden, I am a loyal supporter of the Biden's Banana Republic!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: flamberge

It seems to me Colonial will have throw their whole system out, including all of their employees’ (including family members) electronics.

The pipeline should be able to go back to old school, do all manually. I hope so.


50 posted on 05/10/2021 7:35:25 PM PDT by Chgogal (Hey Biden, I am a loyal supporter of the Biden's Banana Republic!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: Georgia Girl 2

Are you serious?


51 posted on 05/11/2021 12:11:07 AM PDT by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up. .... )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: White Lives Matter

Joint SeeEyeAy and Chicom Op?


52 posted on 05/11/2021 4:47:42 AM PDT by epluribus_2 (He, had the best mom - ever.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: carriage_hill

Israel would have the hackers plums in a jar on Bibi’s mantel by now


53 posted on 05/11/2021 4:49:13 AM PDT by epluribus_2 (He, had the best mom - ever.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Yo-Yo

Today’s prize for Winning the Internet goes to... Brilliant.


54 posted on 05/11/2021 4:54:02 AM PDT by epluribus_2 (He, had the best mom - ever.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: DesertRhino

Well weren’t we about due for a false flag to get our minds off the AZ audit? These things run on time like a train.


55 posted on 05/11/2021 6:34:07 AM PDT by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: White Lives Matter

Oh Geez, Biden and his CIA trying to extort money from Colonial Pipeline.


56 posted on 05/11/2021 6:51:50 AM PDT by dforest (huh?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: C210N

I think you got it!


57 posted on 05/11/2021 6:54:31 AM PDT by dforest (huh?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-57 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson