Cyber attack disrupts Halliburton's operations

In recent days, several cyber attacks have apparently targeted the IT infrastructure of oilfield services company Halliburton. The company has since shut down several systems in order to carry out investigations and clarify the circumstances of the attacks.

As reported by the GDPR portal, previously unknown perpetrators attacked the IT systems of US oil service provider Halliburton on August 21. As a result of the attack, employees were no longer able to access their internal networks. The exact damage and further effects of the attack or possible data losses are currently the subject of investigations and are not yet known. The company's IT experts and external investigators are currently examining the attackers' approach. Halliburton says it is working to restore the systems and prevent future attacks.

Energy services not affected by the incident

According to the Reuters report on Friday, the US company has called in the American law enforcement authorities to determine the extent and cause of the attacks and possible perpetrators. As Reuters reported with reference to internal sources, the attack appeared to be limited primarily to the business operations of the company's campus in the north of Houston and to some internal networks. Reuters had already speculated on Wednesday about a suspected cyberattack at Halliburton.

When asked by journalists whether the perpetrators of the cyberattack had contacted the company, a company spokesperson refused to answer. The US Department of Energy announced on Thursday that the cyber incident at Halliburton had had no impact on energy services.

Halliburton is one of the world's largest companies in the oil and gas services sector. The US company was founded in 1919 in Duncan, Oklahoma, and offers a wide range of services for the oil and energy industry.

(nie)