Huntington — Earlier this month, the Colonial Pipeline was forcibly shut down after a cyberattack, leading to higher gas prices and gas shortages across the East Coast.
The Colonial Pipeline was the victim of a ransomware attack, a cyberattack designed to render files and systems unusable until the target paid the ransom.
This type of cyberattack is on the rise, according to Katerina Goseva-Popstojanova, a professor of computer science who oversees a project to prepare for cybersecurity work funded by the National Science Foundation at West Virginia University.
“Ransomware attacks, including critical infrastructure such as pipelines, power grids, water treatment facilities and hospitals, are exploding,” said Goseva-Popstojanova. “In general, ransomware attacks target critical infrastructure control systems and other cyber-physical systems, which can lead to direct service interruptions.”
According to Goseva-Popstojanova, Colonial Pipeline attacks were fairly easy to break into a company’s computer system and infect ransomware due to inadequate cybersecurity practices.
“Instead of responding to attacks, we need a proactive approach to improving…
