<br><div><aside class="gnt_em gnt_em__fp gnt_em_vp__tp gnt_em__el" aria-label="Video - Colonial Pipeline cyberattack may cause gas shortage, here’s why"/><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">The Colonial Pipeline Co. reportedly paid a $5 million ransom to cyberattackers, allowing the vital fuel-shipping system to restart after the hackers had seized control and <a target="_blank" href="/story/money/2021/05/12/gas-shortage-gas-prices-colonial-pipeline-nc-virginia-north-carolina/5052551001/" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a">triggered panic-buying of gasoline throughout the Southeastern U.S.</a></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-13/colonial-pipeline-paid-hackers-nearly-5-million-in-ransom" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a">Bloomberg News first reported Thursday</a> that Colonial had paid the money, citing two people familiar with the exchange. CNBC also <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/13/colonial-pipeline-paid-ransom-to-hackers-source-says.html" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a">reported that the company paid the hackers</a>, though it did not say how much.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">Earlier this week, the FBI identified a criminal group known as DarkSide as being responsible for the cyberattack.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">"Once they received the payment, the hackers provided the operator with a decrypting tool to restore its disabled computer network," Bloomberg reported. "The tool was so slow that the company continued using its own backups to help restore the system, one of the people familiar with the company’s efforts said."</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">Colonial Pipeline officials declined to comment on Thursday.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">The system – which supplies about 45% of the Southeastern region's fuel, including gasoline and jet fuel – <a target="_blank" href="/story/money/2021/05/11/colonial-pipeline-gas-shortage-cyber-attack/5035713001/" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a">was offline for several days after the attackers struck </a>Friday. </p><aside aria-label="advertisement" class="gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al"/><p class="gnt_ar_b_p"><strong>Save better, spend better: </strong><a target="_blank" href="https://profile.usatoday.com/newsletters/the-daily-money/" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a">Money tips and advice delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for free here</a></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">After successfully resuming operation in part on Wednesday, "Colonial Pipeline has made substantial progress in safely restarting our pipeline system and can report that product delivery has commenced in a majority of the markets we service," the company <a target="_blank" href="https://www.colpipe.com/news/press-releases/media-statement-colonial-pipeline-system-disruption" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a">said Thursday morning in...</a></p></div> <style> .wrapper { text-align: center; } </style> <div class="wrapper"> <a class="button" href ="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2021/05/13/colonial-pipeline-gas-shortages-ransom-cyberattack/5075311001/">Read more <span>➤</span></a> </div>
