August 17, 2021
Colonial Pipeline, is sending notification letters to people affected by a data breach resulting from the DarkSide ransomware attack that hit its network just a few months ago.
The company says it recently became aware that DarkSide operators were also able to collect and steal documents containing personal information from a total of 5,810 people during the data breach.
The affected records contained certain personal information such as names, contact details, dates of birth, government-issued IDs – such as Social Security, military ID, tax ID, and driving license numbers, and health-related information containing health insurance information.
Company President Joseph A. Blount Jr. maintains, however, that not all of that information was stolen by anyone involved.
The ransomware gang DarkSide attacked the networks of the Colonial Pipeline, which supplies about 50% of all fuel on the U.S. East Coast, on May 6.
During the attack, DarkSide hackers stole about 100GBs of files from defective pipeline systems in just two hours, according to investigators.
The attack on the Colonial Pipeline was followed by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which declared a state of emergency in 17 states and the District of Columbia.
The ransomware gang DarkSide ceased operations after the group saw a higher level of coverage from both the media and the U.S. government and law enforcement.
The group’s move to shut down operations came after Colonial Pipeline paid $4.4 million for a decryptor, most of which was later recovered by the FBI.
The notorious ransomware gang DarkSide, now renamed BlackMatter, is actively targeting companies but claims it will not target the “Oil and Gas industry, such as pipelines and oil refineries,” as it has attracted significant unwanted attention and forced the group to rename itself.
For more information, read the original story in BleepingComputer.
