Spanberger presses Biden on DarkSide Attack against Colonial Pipeline

Seventh District Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger is pushing President Joe Biden to recognize the vulnerabilities revealed by the foreign-based ransomware attack that shut down the Colonial Pipeline.

In a letter sent to President Biden on Wednesday, Spanberger outlined the major effects the DarkSide cyberattack had on Central Virginia families, workers, and businesses — and she pressed the Biden Administration to investigate the full scope of the intrusion and respond with the urgency the situation demands.

Spanberger called on President Biden to create an interagency strategy that can increase cybersecurity collaboration between government agencies and the private sector, strengthen protections for American supply chains, and deter hackers from attacking in the future.

“Many gas stations across Virginia’s Seventh District and its surrounding communities are experiencing the negative effects of this cyberattack and the ensuing pipeline shutdown,” said Spanberger to President Biden. “This attack is having an immediate impact on Virginians who are commuting to work, dropping their children off at school, delivering supplies to small businesses and restaurants, and keeping our communities connected.”

Spanberger continued, “In addition to a full assessment of the scope of this intrusion, its implications, and any vulnerabilities that made it possible, it is essential that we improve our resilience here at home. We must ensure our critical infrastructure is protected and our supply chains are secure, and to do this, our federal government agencies must work together with state and local governments — as well as the private sector. We must also work with U.S. allies and partners around the world to disable and stand up to cyber criminals and the state and non-state actors that enable them — including the Russian government.”

In her letter, Spanberger also urged the administration to prioritize cybersecurity in the President’s Budget Request for fiscal year 2022.

As reported gas shortages began to increase in Virginia, Spanberger on Tuesday called for the Biden administration to help restore the function of the Colonial Pipeline, hold cyber criminals accountable, and develop a strategy to prevent similar attacks on American infrastructure in the future.