Back on Friday, May 7th, the Colonial Pipeline underwent a shutdown due to a ransomware attack executed by the Russian collective DarkSide. The 5,500 mile pipeline is responsible for transporting millions of gallons of petroleum and fuel products across the country, not to mention roughly 45% of the fuel consumed by the East Coast of the United States. The pipeline’s headquarters reside in Georgia, but operations extend from the Gulf of Mexico to New York and directly feed to multiple major airports along the way.

Launched at about 7 p.m., the cyber attack prompted a preemptive system shutdown by the pipeline. According to Colonial Pipeline, both their technological and general performance were hit by the attack. The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency seem to be coordinating with Colonial in order to get to the root of the problem. 

In and around the Eastern Seaboard, the fallout is already evident. Gas availability is steadily decreasing as worried consumers rush to fill up their tanks. Despite Cononial’s claims of advancing toward “substantially restoring operational service” by the end of this week, people across the nation are still making panicked purchases, which many are saying will only contribute to the problem. Videos on the Internet showcase individuals arriving at gas stations, and departing with multiple jugs of fuel. Alabama governor Kay Ivey issued a Tweet on Tuesday afternoon warning against this behavior and stressing to only take what’s necessary. “Please do not fill up your car unless you need to and do not fill multiple containers. Overreacting creates more of a shortage.” She also emphasized the importance of exercising patience and common sense. 

Analysts at Gasbuddy, an app with real-time price data on over 140,000 stations, notes that demand for fuel is surging and that costs could reach up to $3 a gallon this week. Governors in other states like Georgia and South Carolina are keeping in contact with various officials and are also urging individuals to restrain from excess gas purchases. Virginia, North and South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama are all currently seeing average gas prices between $2.72 and $2.87, though some estimates have reached as high as $2.98.

The White House has addressed the issue and extended support, said to be fronted by the Department of Energy, to the Colonial Pipeline this past weekend. Officials such as Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo have also pointed out the unfortunate reality of these such occurrences, and that cyber attacks are becoming increasingly common. 

The attack on Colonial Pipeline serves as a prime example of the U.S.’s vulnerability to such disruptions and how the modern age of technology poses its own unique threats. It has also brought into question Russia as a haven for cyber criminals and whether or not the state shared direct involvement in the attack.