According to authorities, the pipeline’s closing was in response to a ransomware attack, in which a computer system’s data are held hostage until a ransom is paid. Colonial experienced such an attack. The FBI has reportedly linked it to a Russian criminal organization.
Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency Tuesday to address the gasoline supply disruptions, although many of the lines at pumps are due to panic buying by drivers topping off tanks. The full emergency declaration can be viewed here.
