US extends emergency pipeline security rules for another year

The US Department of Homeland Security has extended emergency security rules for hazardous liquid and natural gas pipelines for another year. This means pipeline operators must continue to follow specific cybersecurity and operational requirements that were put in place after a major cyberattack in 2021.

After the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack in 2021, the US government issued emergency directives to secure critical energy infrastructure. These directives were meant to be temporary, but they keep getting extended. This signals that the government sees these threats as ongoing and that the 'temporary' measures are becoming permanent. It also means pipeline operators must continue to invest in the security measures outlined in the directives, which adds to their operational costs.