US to Set New Pipeline Rules to Protect Against Cyberattacks

The United States plans to launch new rules designed to protect pipeline¹ companies against increasing cyberattacks.

The action follows a cyberattack earlier this month that shut down a major U.S. fuel pipeline. The outage, involving a 9,000 kilometer pipeline system, led to temporary fuel shortages in some places in the eastern United States.

U.S. officials say new cybersecurity regulations are expected to be issued this week by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The TSA oversees² the nation's network of pipelines³.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Tuesday that TSA officials had already begun working with private pipeline companies on ways to identify and prevent cyberattacks.

One of the new regulations will require the companies to report cyber threats to the federal government, one official told The Associated Press. Another rule is expected to require pipeline operators to complete a self-examination of their systems for possible vulnerabilities to cyberattacks.

Mark Montgomery is with the Foundation for the Defense⁴ of Democracies. He is also the former director of the congressionally supported Cyberspace⁵ Solarium Commission.

Montgomery told the AP he sees the expected requirements as "a good step" forward in the fight against cyberattacks. He added that such regulations need to be put in place for non-pipeline companies as well, "so that all our national critical infrastructure⁶ is at a higher level."

At a news conference this week, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas spoke⁷ about the ransomware attack that shut down the Colonial Pipeline. He said that kind of attack "is one of the greatest cybersecurity threats that we face in the United States."

In a ransomware attack, online attackers infect the computer systems of organizations and hijack⁹ data in a way that leaves it unreadable. The attacker then demands payment in exchange for returning the data to a usable state.

Colonial Pipeline in Georgia said it had paid a ransom⁸ of $4.4 million to regain¹⁰ control of its data from the cybercriminals. The Federal Bureau of Investigation¹¹ has linked the attack to a Russian-speaking criminal group known as DarkSide.

Suzanne Spaulding is a cybersecurity expert with the Center for Strategic and International Studies based in Washington, D.C. She said many companies are still not taking steps to protect themselves.

"There are two kinds of companies in the world, those who have been hacked¹³ and those who haven't detected it yet," she told the French press agency AFP.

Spaulding noted¹⁴ one problem is that many countries cannot produce enough computer workers who are trained to deal with serious cyber threats. This shortage drives up pay rates, making it difficult for many organizations to employ quality workers with the right skills.

Private cybersecurity companies have been helpful to organizations facing threats and can also help prevent new attacks. But a new report suggests that publicizing anti-ransomware measures can also help cybercriminals.

The report was published jointly¹⁶ by MIT Technology Review and ProPublica. It details how Romanian cybersecurity company BitDefender announced in January it had found a fix to help companies avoid ransomware attacks by the DarkSide group.

BitDefender said it had discovered a flaw in the ransomware that DarkSide had been using to freeze computer networks of American and European businesses.

But by bringing attention to its fix, BitDefender also let DarkSide know about the flaw, which it was able to quickly repair. The next day, DarkSide declared: "Special thanks to BitDefender for helping¹⁷ fix our issues. This will make us even better."

The fix was quickly confirmed when DarkSide carried out a series of new attacks, including the hijack of Colonial Pipeline's data.

The joint¹⁵ report notes that two other cybersecurity experts had also discovered BitDefender's flaw a month before BitDefender. But those researchers did not publicly announce their finding. Instead, they began secretly reaching out to possible victims to offer help.

Words in This Story

regulation – n. an official rule that controls how something is done

vulnerable – adj. able to be easily hurt, influenced or attacked

infrastructure – n. the basic equipment and structures (such as roads and bridges) that are needed for a country or region

hack¹² – n. to use a computer to illegally get into someone else's computer system to read the information that is kept there

detect – v. to discover or notice something

flaw – n. a mistake or defect

1 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

2 oversees   

v.监督，监视( oversee的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She oversees both the research and the manufacturing departments. 她既监督研究部门又监督生产部门。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Department of Education oversees the federal programs dealing with education. 教育部监管处理教育的联邦程序。 来自互联网

3 pipelines   

管道( pipeline的名词复数 )； 输油管道； 在考虑（或规划、准备） 中； 在酿中

参考例句：

• The oil is carried to the oil refinery by pipelines. 石油通过输油管输送到炼油厂。
• The oil carried in pipelines. 石油用管道输送。

4 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

5 cyberspace   

n.虚拟信息空间，网络空间，计算机化世界

参考例句：

• She travels in cyberspace by sending messages to friends around the world.她利用电子空间给世界各地的朋友们发送信件。
• The teens spend more time in cyberspace than in the real world of friends and family.青少年花费在电脑上的时间比他们和真正的朋友及家人在一起的时间要多。

6 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 ransom   

n.赎金，赎身；v.赎回，解救

参考例句：

• We'd better arrange the ransom right away.我们最好马上把索取赎金的事安排好。
• The kidnappers exacted a ransom of 10000 from the family.绑架者向这家人家勒索10000英镑的赎金。

9 hijack   

v.劫持，劫机，拦路抢劫

参考例句：

• Most countries refuse to give sanctuary to people who hijack aeroplanes.大多数国家拒绝对劫机者提供庇护。
• The hijack take place just after the plane take off.劫持是飞机刚起飞后发生的。

10 regain   

vt.重新获得，收复，恢复

参考例句：

• He is making a bid to regain his World No.1 ranking.他正为重登世界排名第一位而努力。
• The government is desperate to regain credibility with the public.政府急于重新获取公众的信任。

11 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

12 hack   

n.劈，砍，出租马车；v.劈，砍，干咳

参考例句：

• He made a hack at the log.他朝圆木上砍了一下。
• Early settlers had to hack out a clearing in the forest where they could grow crops.早期移民不得不在森林里劈出空地种庄稼。

13 hacked   

生气

参考例句：

• I hacked the dead branches off. 我把枯树枝砍掉了。
• I'm really hacked off. 我真是很恼火。

14 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

15 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

16 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

17 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。