Joe Biden said the US government had “good reason” to believe that the hackers behind a massive cyber attack that shut down the Colonial oil pipeline were based in Russia, as he urged Americans not to panic in the face of temporary fuel shortages.
“We don’t think the Russian government was involved in this attack. But we have good reason to believe that the criminals who carried out the attack live in Russia. That’s where it comes from, ”the US president said in a speech Thursday afternoon at the White House.
“We have been in direct communication with Moscow on the imperative for the countries responsible to take decisive action against these ransomware networks,” he added, noting that he hoped to discuss the matter with the Russian president. Vladimir Poutine.
The 5,500-mile pipeline system has a capacity of 2.5 million barrels per day of liquid fuels such as gasoline diesel and jet fuel, which it transports from refineries on the Gulf Coast to major hubs in the northeast. The FBI said the shutdown was caused by a ransomware attack through DarkSide hacking group.
Cyber experts say Russia tacitly allows it ransomware gangs operate in the country and will not prosecute them. In return, these criminals do not attack Russian companies and may be called upon to share their access to victims’ systems, experts say.
Last month, the US Treasury accused one of Russia’s intelligence services, the FSB, of “cultivating and co-opting” the notorious ransomware group Evil Corp, which has been sanctioned.
The Colonial Pipeline – responsible for transporting nearly half of the fuel used on the US East Coast – started the process of full reopening Wednesday night, five days after being hit by a cyberattack that sparked panic buying by motorists across the Southeastern United States.
Biden said the US government expects a “region-by-region return to normal starting this weekend and continuing into next week.” He urged Americans to avoid buying gasoline in a panic, and said he had called on state governors and local authorities to stay on the lookout for any illegal price scams by companies.
“Don’t panic, number one. I know seeing lines at pumps or gas stations without gasoline can be extremely stressful, but it’s a temporary situation, ”Biden said. “Do not consume more gasoline than necessary in the next few days.”
Gas station shortages triggered by panic buying continued Thursday, with 70% of North Carolina stations dry and about half in Virginia, Georgia and South Carolina, according to GasBuddy, a supplier of data.
However, the situation in some large urban centers was starting to improve. The number of fuel-less stations in Atlanta rose from a high of 73% overnight to 68% on Thursday afternoon.
Colonial said Thursday morning that it had made “substantial progress” in bringing its operations back online and that all of its markets would begin receiving products by the afternoon.
Prices at the pump continued to rise. National average gasoline prices jumped to $ 3.03 on Thursday, according to the AAA, an automobile association. They crossed the $ 3 per gallon threshold on Wednesday for the first time since 2014.
Gasoline futures fell on news of Colonial’s reopening, as traders forecast supplies to return to normal. Contracts for June delivery slipped 7 cents to $ 2.08, their lowest level since April in Thursday afternoon trading.
