US to introduce new security directives for pipelines after hack

The US Department of Homeland Security has announced that it has issued a new security directive for operators and the pipeline owners after a hack of the Colonial Pipeline that resulted in disruption of fuel supplies in the southeastern United States for days, forced the company to shut down much of its network, leaving many gas stations in the eastern United States without fuel. It demonstrated the immediate need for cybersecurity of pipeline systems is critical to homeland security.

The US Homeland Security Department has stated that all the operators and critical pipeline owners should have a safe cybersecurity network. Therefore, the department's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have designated cybersecurity coordinators 24/7 to help the owners and operators to overcome any security-based issues.

The department further added that the directive would require the pipeline owners and the operators to review the current cybersecurity status and practices. This will help them identify if gaps exist, and immediate remediation measures for risks will be taken. The operators must report these results to the Transportation Security Administration, which is a unit of DHS, and CISA within 30 days.