Adrian Johnson
TLDR:
- Halliburton, the world’s second-largest oil service company, experienced a cyber attack affecting operations in multiple locations.
- The cyber attack caused disruptions at the Houston campus and globally, leading the company to activate incident response protocols and engage cybersecurity experts.
Oil service giant Halliburton faced a cyber attack that impacted its operations at the Houston campus and various global networks. The company, which employs over 50,000 people in more than 70 countries and reported $23.02 billion in annual revenue in 2023, confirmed that an unauthorized third party accessed certain systems. While Halliburton refrained from explicitly labeling the incident as a cyber attack, signs point to a ransomware incident. The company took systems offline, notified law enforcement, and initiated an investigation. The cyber attack, believed to have originated from a cloud-based system, led to disruptions requiring employees to disconnect from the network and record hours manually. Although the attack details remain unclear, experts emphasize the importance of robust cybersecurity measures in critical infrastructure sectors like oil and gas. Potential financial gain often motivates cybercriminals targeting such industries, as seen in a growing number of ransomware attacks on critical national infrastructure entities. The FBI recorded 1,193 ransomware attacks on CNI entities in 2023, marking a significant increase over the previous year. The incident is a reminder of the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity measures in organizations that provide essential services.
