The Wall Street Journal reports:
Joseph Blount, CEO of Colonial Pipeline Co., told The Wall Street Journal that he authorized the ransom payment of $4.4 million because executives were unsure how badly the cyberattack had breached its systems or how long it would take to bring the pipeline back.
“I know that’s a highly controversial decision,” Mr. Blount said in his first public remarks since the crippling hack. “I didn’t make it lightly. I will admit that I wasn’t comfortable seeing money go out the door to people like this. But it was the right thing to do for the country,” he added.
Read the full article.
NEW: The CEO of Colonial Pipeline confirms his company paid $4.4 million to DarkSide soon after discovery of the hack in interview w/ @WSJ.
“I know that’s a highly controversial decision … But it was the right thing to do for the country.” https://t.co/fW7yY9u9lA
— Dustin Volz (@dnvolz) May 19, 2021