Cyber sleuths blunted pipeline hack, choked data flow to Russia

A warning sign is posted along the path of the Colonial Pipeline in Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania. Colonial was the victim of a ransomware attack last week in which the hackers stole nearly 100GB of data, a breach that caused the company to shut down operations of the biggest fuel pipeline in the US. — AP

A small group of private-sector companies, with help from several US agencies, disrupted ongoing cyberattacks against Colonial Pipeline Co and more than two dozen other victims, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

Colonial was able to recover some stolen data because of the intervention, which stopped the flow of stolen data headed to Russia – believed to be the ultimate destination, according to three people involved with or briefed about the investigation into the breach.