US Secretary of State in Berlin Solution to pipeline dispute by August?

Status: 23.06.2021 13:57

During his inaugural visit to Berlin, US Secretary of State Blinken demonstrated unity with his counterpart Maas. In the dispute over the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, an agreement is expected soon. The German government wants to find a solution to the transatlantic dispute over the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline by August. This was announced by Foreign Minister Heiko Maas in Berlin after a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The Chancellor’s trip to Washington in mid-July would certainly also be a suitable date, said Maas. But in August the US Congress will again deal with possible sanctions. “It is extremely important to us to achieve results that can also be supported in Washington,” emphasized the SPD politician.

USA: Nord Stream 2 is “Russia’s geopolitical project”

Blinken warned that Russia could use energy to leverage Ukraine. “Our goal is to ensure that Russia does not use energy as a means of coercion, as a weapon against Ukraine or anyone else in Europe,” said the US Secretary of State, who told his counterpart Maas in the run-up to the second Libya conference met in Berlin. The US continues to believe that the pipeline is a geopolitical project by Russia that threatens Europe’s energy security. In view of the difference of opinion between Washington and Berlin on this point, Blinken emphasized: “It happens from time to time among friends.”

USA waived sanctions

For years, the US has been against the construction of the Baltic Sea pipeline, which is supposed to pump gas from Russia to Germany bypassing Ukraine. Nevertheless, in May the new administration of US President Joe Biden partially gave up its longstanding resistance to the project and waived sanctions against the operating company – also out of consideration for relations with Germany.

Since then, talks have been going on between Germany and the USA about how to proceed. In essence, it is about how Ukraine, as a previous transit country, can secure long-term income, since it is dependent on Russian billions for gas transfers. The corresponding contract between Russia and Ukraine is limited to 2024

Biden has been yelling “The United States is back” recently, in an attempt to reshape the leadership of the United States among allies. Therefore, he is embarrassed to ignore the cry of allies or partners. Although the new crown vaccine in the United States cannot be given, other aspects can also soothe Ukraine’s injured heart.

The US Pentagon recently announced that it will provide Ukraine with US$150 million in military aid. In addition, according to Guangming.com, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba revealed in an interview with the media that President Zelensky of the country will visit the United States at the end of July and hold a meeting with U.S. President Biden.

Earlier this month, Biden formally invited Zelensky to visit the United States during a telephone meeting. Kuleba also stated: “Because of the extensive agenda between the United States and Ukraine, Zelensky will lead a large delegation to visit the United States by then.” This is enough to show that Biden has given Zelensky enough face this time.

Obviously, Biden is really different from Trump. He is purely a political veteran. Knowing that Zelensky has been crippled by the United States and Europe one after another, it must be uncomfortable now. Therefore, Biden sent two carrots to Ukraine in succession, hoping to quell the grievances in the hearts of the Ukrainian authorities. After all, people have long been acting as American anti-Russian cannon fodder, and the price they have to bear is heavy enough.

It stands to reason that Biden threw two carrots to the Kiev authorities one after another, and the Kiev authorities should be happy at this time. Who would have thought that after receiving Biden’s “compensation”, instead of being happy about it, the Kiev authorities would cry even more miserably.

On the 11th local time, Vitrenko, chairman of the board of directors of the Ukrainian oil and gas company, said in an interview with Bloomberg that the completion and commissioning of the Beixi-2 project may lead to the outbreak of a full-scale war. He believes that the worst situation caused by the Beixi-2 project is not just to reduce Ukraine’s billions of dollars in revenue each year, but more importantly, it will mean the outbreak of an all-out war in Europe.

The war argument provided by Vitrenko is that the gas supply facility through the Beixi-1 pipeline in Ukraine is a tool to prevent Russia from launching a war against Ukraine. If the Beixi-2 project is completed, Russia will no longer be constrained by Ukraine when it comes to exporting natural gas to Europe. By then, if Russia wants a military invasion, Ukraine will not have the capital to prevent Russia from launching a war.

In fact, Vitrenko is not suffering from fantasy obsessive-compulsive disorder, nor is there any sign of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He is just using the “outbreak of total war” as a gimmick, trying to give the United States a rhythm to stop the Beixi-2 project, hoping to use Biden’s hands to destroy the project. Therefore, Vitrenko added: If the United States abandons its pressure on Beixi-2, it may have a negative impact on many pro-Western countries in Eastern Europe, including Ukraine.

In the final analysis, Vitrenko linked the Beixi-2 project to the outbreak of the full-scale war, positioning it as a major factor that “undermines European security and stability.” Vitrenko’s move. It is putting pressure on Biden in another way to pave the way for Zelensky’s visit to the United States at the end of July to persuade Biden to destroy the Beixi-2 project.

However, Ukraine clearly overestimates its position in the United States. In fact, don’t think that if Biden gave two carrots to Kiev, he can push his nose and give guidance to the United States on the Beixi-2 project and even the issue of US-Russian relations. That is wishful thinking.

In fact, with regard to Ukraine’s interests, it is the United States and Russia that really have the final say. Ukraine is at best a pawn in the game of great powers. In the end, whether it can continue to eat food for it, or prevent it from continuing to survive, is the United States. Russia has the final say, not Zelensky or his successor.

The German government remains committed to completing the Nord Stream 2 project despite strong objections from Washington. Photo: AP According to Bloomberg, Foreign Minister Maas affirmed that it is too early to conclude that the US will not impose additional sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 project. Maas emphasized, in fact, in US politics, neither Democrats nor Republicans have a positive view of the gas pipeline from Russia to Germany. However, Minister Maas expects that the gas cooperation project between Moscow and Berlin will no longer be a conflict in US-German relations. The US has repeatedly voiced its objections and continuously put pressure on the implementation of the Russian gas project. Most recently, Washington imposed sanctions on 13 Russian ships and 3 companies related to the project, but lifted sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG – the company operating the Stream project. The North 2, and CEO Matthias Warnig. Speaking at a press conference on May 19, Foreign Minister Maas said the US decision was “a constructive step”, and affirmed that Berlin would continue to dialogue with its partners in Washington. The German government remains committed to completing the Nord Stream 2 project despite strong objections from Washington, and asserts that this pipeline will help ensure Europe’s energy security and is completely a economic project. In a related development, Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 4 said that the Nord Stream 2 project is ready to transport natural gas from Russia to Germany.

After a hacker attack Investigators come to extorted pipeline millions

Status: 08.06.2021 02:12 a.m.

It has been a month since the largest gasoline pipeline in the United States was hacked. The operator paid millions to the extortionists. Now the investigators report a success. After the hacker attack on the largest gasoline pipeline in the United States, investigators recovered most of a ransom payment in the digital currency Bitcoin. The US Department of Justice announced that 63.7 Bitcoin, currently valued at around 2.3 million US dollars, had been seized. The FBI was able to identify a digital wallet that hackers allegedly used to collect a payment from the company concerned, said the agency’s deputy director Paul Abbate.

Hacker from Russia suspected behind the act

The company Colonial Pipeline announced in early May that it had been the victim of a hacker attack. As a result, the pipeline, through which about 45 percent of all fuel consumed on the US east coast runs, was temporarily completely shut down. There were petrol shortages in parts of the country. The capital Washington was particularly hard hit, where at times 88 percent of the gas stations ran out of fuel. “It was an attack on one of our most important national infrastructures,” said Lisa Monaco from the US Department of Justice. The US government suspects hackers from the DarkSide group from Russia behind the crime. Both US authorities and IT security experts strongly advise companies against paying ransom so as not to incentivize cyber criminals to blackmail them. But the pipeline operator paid, as company boss Joseph Blount admitted in the “Wall Street Journal” at the end of May. He authorized a payment of $ 4.4 million. Blount explained the controversial decision by saying that the company was unsure about the extent of the system damage caused. According to the US Department of Justice, Colonial Pipeline had quickly notified the FBI that DarkSide had broken into the computer network and the company had paid the requested ransom of 75 Bitcoin.

Colonial boss praises investigators

In so-called ransomware attacks, data on computers is encrypted – and the attackers usually demand a ransom for the release. Cases in which companies paid were also known before. But it is extremely rare to get the money back. Colonial chief Blount praised the work of the FBI investigators in a statement. He also said the private sector needs to take cyber threats seriously and invest to better defend against them. “Ransomware attacks have increased in scope and sophistication over the past year, targeting our critical infrastructure, businesses of all kinds, entire cities and even law enforcement agencies,” said Monaco from the Justice Department. “Ransomware and digital extortion pose a threat to national and economic security in the United States.” Just a few weeks after the attack on the gasoline pipeline, the world’s largest meat company JBS was hit by a massive cyber attack. Large parts of the production in North America and Australia were paralyzed.

In a statement on May 31, JBS USA said it detected an organized cyberattack that affected several servers that support the corporation’s information technology systems at its North American facilities. and Australia. JBS is the world’s largest meat processing company, with operations in many countries such as the US, Australia, Canada, Europe, Mexico, New Zealand and the UK. The company said no customer, supplier or employee data was leaked or used for shady purposes following the cyberattack. However, the company said it will take a long time to resolve this issue and as a result, some transactions with customers and suppliers may be disrupted. All US beef processing plants under JBS have stopped production, affecting nearly a quarter of the total supply in the US market. The company’s other meat processing plants were also disrupted to a certain extent. Photo: Visual China Although the company has not publicly stated that it is threatened by ransomware, the White House said the attack was ransomware, possibly from a group based in Russia, although JBS has not made it public. confirm this. White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre told Reuters the FBI was investigating. Ransomware is malicious software that encrypts a target’s system, preventing users from accessing and using their computer system or document files (mainly detected on Windows operating systems). In some cases, hackers also gain access to the target’s data and demand a ransom if they want to get the data back. Since November last year, a series of ransomware attacks have targeted well-known companies such as the US factory Foxconn, Apple’s Macbook Quanta laptop assembly partner, and the Colonel Pipeline pipeline company. Among them, Quanta has stolen a large number of drawings of the new MacBook, which has a certain effect on Apple. The hacker group asked Apple to pay a ransom of $ 50 million to not publicly publish the data they have, Apple flatly refused. Leading US fuel pipeline operator Colonial Pipeline has shut down its entire network following a ransomware-related cyberattack. According to CNBC, the company Colonial paid $4.4 million in ransom in the form of Bitcoin cryptocurrency to the DarkSide hacker group. For these companies, there are two issues that need to be considered: First, why the security team can’t resist hacker attacks; second, what role does cryptocurrencies play in these transactions? The “fragility” of businesses before a cyber attack When you hear the word “cybersecurity,” you probably think of large companies or government organizations that invest tens of millions of dollars in firewalls, anti-virus software, and other security protocols to protect their systems from potentially malicious attacks or data leaks. Or you would think of the large internal cybersecurity teams who are knowledgeable and know how to deploy the latest technology to fight hackers and protect corporate information. The reality is that security issues affect every company – from the smallest store, fledgling startups to the largest multinationals. Any system is not immune to loopholes, and hackers who have the guts to attack large businesses are organized and premeditated. The security team of a large enterprise cannot avoid negligence, giving hackers the opportunity to take advantage. Hackers take advantage of cryptocurrency to make blackmail transactions Photo: QQ After successful attacks, many hacker groups now demand ransom in the form of cryptocurrencies, namely Bitcoin instead of real money. All transactions are assigned to Bitcoin addresses, but this address is not assigned to a specific person or organization. To increase anonymity, each transaction you can use a Bitcoin address to send and receive money, no one can know who you are. So Bitcoin is definitely the best choice when it comes to making illegal transactions. As the most valuable cryptocurrency today, Bitcoin has become a favorite object of hackers. The market value of cryptocurrencies skyrocketed around October of last year. Since mid-May of this year, this market price has been continuously falling, but it seems that the cryptocurrency still has a chance to explode again. In 2017, a type of malicious code called WannaCry opened a huge cyber attack in 150 countries, causing many users’ files to be locked. If they want the right to unlock, the victim has to pay the hackers 300 USD worth of Bitcoin. In 2019, hackers attacked the city of Baltimore (Maryland state, USA), froze thousands of computers, turned off emails … and demanded the city pay about 100,000 USD in Bitcoin. Ransomware attacks will get stronger and stronger Photo: QQ According to Ekram Ahmed, a spokesman for cybersecurity firm Check Point: “Hackers are pursuing larger and more advanced targets because they know they can succeed. Networks like Colonial paid $4.4 million in ransom, ransomware monetization will attract many new entrants. Things are getting worse, and I firmly believe that ransomware is now a national security threat.” . The consecutive attacks signal a worrying trend in ransomware attacks, especially those that can cause major disruption. Ransomware attacks are becoming more and more common, although hackers often find smaller and more vulnerable targets, less network security, and will pay a ransom to keep their systems normal. usually return as quickly as possible. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have made it much easier for hackers to obtain ransoms. “Ransomware is now a lucrative business for hackers. Since the beginning of 2020, the number of organizations affected by ransomware has increased by 120%.” According to a recent report by cybersecurity firm Sophos, the average cost of recovering from a ransomware attack also appears to have doubled. Software company Chainalysis determined that $350 million was spent on ransomware ransoms in 2020. But it can be difficult to know the full scale of the attacks and the amount of ransom paid, because many the company did not report them in the first place. CNA Financial Corporation, one of the largest insurance companies in the US, paid $40 million in ransom last March, which was revealed only two months later. Law enforcement agencies advise businesses hit by ransomware not to pay the ransom, and say it will encourage hackers to continue demanding increasingly high amounts. However, not every company has the technological capabilities to deal with a group of hackers as sophisticated as Apple.

Colonial Pipeline Company’s fuel tanks in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. (Photo: AFP/VNA) US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on May 27 issued new security guidance for owners and operators of fuel pipelines. This move follows a cyber attack on the company’s fuel pipeline system Colonial Pipeline , leading to gas supply disruptions on the US East Coast this month. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said: “The recent malware attack on a major fuel pipeline shows that the cybersecurity of pipeline systems is a critical factor. pivotal to the homeland security of the United States.” Under DHS, owners and operators of fuel pipeline Key players will be required to immediately report confirmed and probable cyber-attacks to the Department of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security under their respective jurisdictions. DHS (CISA), and appoint a cybersecurity coordinator available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. The issuance of the new guidance also requires fuel pipeline owners and operators to review current cybersecurity measures to detect any vulnerabilities, as well as remedial actions if necessary. there is a risk of a cyber attack. They must notify this result to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), a unit of DHA, and CISA within 30 days. The DHS statement said TSA is considering additional mandatory measures to enhance cybersecurity to protect the US fuel system. Previously, on May 7, Colonial Pipeline announced that it was attacked by ransomware and forced to close some systems. This incident caused a large-scale supply disruption, causing thousands of gas stations on the US East Coast to fall into shortages and gasoline prices to the highest level since 2017. The US government has issued an order. state of emergency in 17 states and Washington, D.C. After more than 1 week of being affected, the Colonial Pipeline oil pipeline has returned to normal operation. Colonial Pipeline has publicly confirmed paying a ransom to restore computer networks. Meanwhile, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) identified DarkSide as the hacker group behind the attack.

Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts the victim’s data. Cybercriminals using ransomware also often steal data. The hackers then demanded a payment to unlock the files and promised not to leak the stolen data. In recent years, hackers have targeted victims with cyber insurance policies, and large volumes of sensitive consumer data make them more likely to pay ransoms, according to cybersecurity experts. According to the unnamed source, CNA paid the hackers about two weeks after a bunch of company data was stolen and CNA officials were locked out of its own network. CNA does not comment on the ransom, with a CNA spokesperson saying CNA followed all laws, regulations and guidelines, including OFAC’s 2020 ransomware guide, in handling the matter. CAN also shares attack intelligence and hackers’ identities with the FBI and the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control because facilitating ransom payments to hackers can cause punishment risk. The largest ransom amount Ransomware attacks – and payments in particular – are rarely disclosed so it’s difficult to know what the largest ransom is. The $40 million payout is larger than any previously disclosed payments to hackers. The hackers attacking CNA used malware called Phoenix Locker, a variant of ransomware called ‘Hades.’ According to cybersecurity experts, Hades was created by a Russian cybercrime organization called Evil Corp. Evil Corp. was sanctioned by the United States in 2019. However, identifying attacks can be difficult because hacking groups can share code or sell malware to each other. CNA, which provides cyber insurance, said its investigation concluded that the Phoenix hacker group was not on the US sanctions list. The disclosure of the payment is likely to draw outrage from lawmakers and regulators who are unhappy that US companies are paying large sums of money to criminal hackers who over the past year have targeted hospitals, drug manufacturers, police forces and other entities critical to public safety. The FBI discourages organizations from paying ransoms because it encourages additional attacks and does not guarantee data will be returned. Last year was a standout year for ransomware groups, with a task force made up of security experts and law enforcement agencies estimating that victims paid around $350 million in ransom last year, up 311% compared to 2019. The Task Force suggested 48 actions the Biden administration and the private sector could take to mitigate such attacks, including better regulation of money markets. digital currency used to make ransom payments. The report, prepared by the Institute for Security and Technology, was delivered to the White House days before the Colonial Pipeline Company was compromised in a ransomware attack that resulted in fuel shortages and long lines at stores. gas stations along the US East Coast Bloomberg reported that Colonial paid hackers nearly $5 million shortly after the attack. Colonial CEO Joseph Blount, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal published Wednesday, confirmed that the company paid the hackers – $4.4 million in ransom. According to two people familiar with the CNA attack, the company initially ignored the hacker’s request and attempted to recover the data without negotiating with the criminals. But within a week, the company decided to start negotiating with the hackers, who were demanding $60 million. Residents said the payment was made a week later. According to Barry Hensley, chief intelligence officer at cybersecurity firm Secureworks Corp. then the Phoenix Locker seems to be a variation of Hades based on the overlap of the code used in each. He said they have not yet identified which hackers used the Hades variant to attack CNA. Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike Holdings Inc believes Hades was created by Evil Corp. to bypass US sanctions against the hacking group. In December 2019, the Treasury Department announced sanctions against 17 individuals and six entities associated with Evil Corp. At the time, the Treasury Department said Evil Corp used malware “to infect computers and collect login information from hundreds of banks and financial institutions in more than 40 countries, causing more than 100 million dollars of theft. “It is illegal for any U.S. company to knowingly pay a ransom to Evil Corp. According to Melissa Hathaway, President of Hathaway Global Strategies and a former cybersecurity adviser to Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, demand for ransomware has grown exponentially over the past six months. Hathaway said the average hacker’s ransom demand is between $50 million and $70 million. Those claims are often negotiable, and companies often pay ransoms in the tens of millions of dollars, in part because cyber insurance policies cover some or all of the costs. Hathaway estimates that the average payout is between $10 and $15 million. Ngoc Linh – According to Insurance Journal

Illustration. https://tinhtexaydung.petrotimes.vn According to GasBuddy, about 30% of all retail gas stations in North Carolina, South Carolina and George are out of gas. Virginia and Tennessee are also experiencing significant blackouts. Colonial Pipeline’s main pipeline transporting gasoline and diesel to the US East Coast has been shut down, following a ransomware attack earlier this month. More than a thousand fuel stations in the Southeast have run out of petrol and diesel due to panic buying and pipeline closures. Even people in Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley, are flocking to gas stations to fill up with fuel, when news of gas stations running out of fuel. Colonial Pipeline paid almost $5 million in ransom in the form of a cryptocurrency to the hackers. But 2 weeks after shutting down, some gas stations are still shutting down. In Georgia, according to AAA data, the average price of a gallon of regular retail gasoline was $2,944 as of May 20, up from $2,708 a month before the pipeline failure. In North Carolina, the average price for gasoline is $2,929 per gallon, compared with $2,627 a month ago. According to Reuters, U.S. gasoline consumption is nearing pre-pandemic levels and is now down just 4% in the four weeks since May 14 from the five-year pre-pandemic average. https://tinhtexaydung.petrotimes.vn

The US has opened an investigation into this cyber attack. Ransomware is a type of malware designed to lock down a system by encrypting data and demanding a ransom from the victim to regain access. Colonial Pipeline asked a cybersecurity company to coordinate with federal law enforcement agencies to investigate this cyberattack. President Joe Biden was briefed on the incident. The White House said Washington will work to help the Colonial Pipeline resume the interrupted fuel supply. This is considered the largest cyber attack on the US energy system Colonial Pipeline is providing nearly half of the fuel for the US east coast. This is considered one of the largest ransomware attacks ever recorded against US energy infrastructure. The shutdown of the largest fuel pipeline network in the United States will cause the price of this item and related products to spike. Colonial Pipeline transports 2.5 million barrels of gasoline and other fuels per day through 8,850 kilometers of pipeline connecting Gulf Coast refineries to the eastern and southern United States. The company also supplies fuel to several major US airports, including Hartsfield Jackson Airport in Atlanta, which has the world’s largest passenger traffic.

A Colonia Pipeline fuel station. Photo: Getty Images The US Department of Transportation’s guidance notice emphasizes that this decision is in response to emergency conditions, stemming from the need for immediate transportation of fuel items, to relieve problems related to supply scarcity. Colonial Pipeline on May 9 also said that many of the company’s main operating pipelines are still closed, but some small lines connecting the supply station and distribution point have returned to normal operation. On May 7, Colonial Pipeline was hacked with ransomware, a type of code that locks systems by encrypting data and demands a ransom to restore access. The attack caused Colonia Pipeline to shut down the entire pipeline network. Colonial Pipeline transports gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other refined products from the Gulf of Texas to the densely populated East Coast of the United States through an 8,850-kilometer pipeline, serving 50 million customers. In areas affected by supply disruptions, fuel demand increased by 4% on May 8, prices also increased by more than 4.2%. The attack caused concern among US consumers about the scarcity of gasoline supplies if the problem is not fixed in time.

Colonial Pipeline transports 2.5 million barrels of fuel per day. Photo: Colonial Pipeline According to the BBC, the state of emergency allows fuel to be transported by road. The news agency quoted experts as saying that fuel prices could increase by 2-3% on May 10, but the real impact would be much worse if this situation continued for longer. Many sources confirm that the malicious code attack is caused by a cybercriminal gang called DarkSide, which infiltrated Colonial’s system on May 6 and stole nearly 100GB of data as a “hostage”. After taking over the data, the group of hackers locked this data on some computers and servers, demanded a ransom and warned that if they did not receive the money, they would release the data on the internet. Colonial is working with law enforcement, cybersecurity and the US Department of Energy to restore service. On the evening of May 9, the company announced that although the four main pipelines continued to stop, some smaller lines between the terminals and delivery points were still operating. “Immediately after learning of the attack, Colonial proactively shut down certain systems to stop the threat. These actions temporarily halted all pipeline operations and affected some systems. our information technology system, which we are actively working on restoring,” said Colonial. “We are in the process of restoring service to other pipelines and will bring the entire system back online when we believe it is safe and in full compliance with all federal regulations. “. The DarkSide message appears on the victim’s computer screen. DarkSide isn’t the largest cybercriminal gang in the field, but the incident demonstrates the heightened risk that malware poses to critical U.S. industrial infrastructure, not just businesses. This gang lists all types of stolen data and sends the victim the URL of the “personal leak site”, where the data is pre-loaded waiting for automatic publication, if the company or organization does not. payment before the deadline. DarkSide claims to provide proof of the data obtained, and is ready to delete all such data from the victim’s network. According to Digital Shadows, a London-based cybersecurity company that tracks global cybercrime groups to help businesses limit their risk of being hacked, DarkSide acts like a company.

The attack was one of the most disruptive digital ransom schemes reported, prompting US lawmakers to call for increased protection of America’s critical energy infrastructure from hackers. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said pipeline repairs were a priority for the Biden administration and Washington was working to avoid more severe fuel supply disruptions by helping Colonial restart the road network. The tube is more than 5,500 miles (8,850 km) long. “Right now it’s an all-in-one effort,” Raimondo said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “We are working closely with company, state and local officials to ensure they return to normal operations as quickly as possible and without disruption to supplies,” Colonial said. The pipeline network was attacked – Photo: Reuters Their main fuel lines are still offline, but some of the smaller routes between the terminals and delivery points are now up and running. Neither Raimondo nor the company has given an estimate of a full reboot date. U.S. gasoline futures rose more than 3% to $2,217 a gallon, the highest since May 2018 as trading opened for the week and market participants reacted to pipeline closures. Colonial ships about 2.5 million barrels per day of gasoline and other fuels from refineries on the Gulf Coast to consumers. Its extensive pipeline network serves major US airports including Atlanta’s Hartsfield Jackson Airport, the world’s busiest airport by passenger traffic. A spokeswoman for Charlotte Douglas International Airport said the airport had supplies on hand and was “monitoring the situation closely”. Retail fuel experts including the American Automobile Association say outages lasting several days could have a significant impact on fuel supplies in the region, particularly in the southeastern US. Colonial Pipeline’s fuel tanks – Photo: Reuters While the US government investigation is in its early stages, a former official and three industry sources said the suspected hackers were a professional cybercrime group called DarkSide. DarkSide is one of many gangs that often use malware to extort victims. These groups gain access to private networks, encrypt files with software, and often steal data. They ask for money to decrypt the files and ask for more money to not publish the stolen content. During the Colonial attack, the hackers stole more than 100 gigabytes of data.

Fuel will be transported by road to Washington DC and the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee , Texas, Virginia. Colonial Pipeline is the largest oil pipeline operator in the United States On May 7, the leading US fuel pipeline operator Colonial Pipeline announced the shutdown of its entire network following a cyber attack by ransomware. Ransomware is a type of malware designed to lock down a system by encrypting data and demanding a ransom from the victim to regain access. Colonial Pipeline asked a cybersecurity company to coordinate with federal law enforcement agencies to investigate this cyberattack. The shutdown of the largest fuel pipeline network in the United States will cause the price of this item and related products to spike. According to some sources, a hacker group called “DarkSide” is suspected of causing the attack. This is a group of hackers that have carried out many cyber attacks that have cost many Western countries tens of billions of dollars in the past 3 years.

Colonial Pipeline had to shut down the entire network after a cyber attack. Photo: wsj.com The administration of President Joe Biden said it was making every effort to restore the company’s operations and avoid disruption to supply. Experts say gas prices will not be affected if the company resumes normal operations in the next few days. However, this cyberattack, rated as the worst ever for the US infrastructure system, should be a warning bell for other companies about the risk they will become the next target of similar attacks. According to Colonial Pipeline, the company’s pipeline carries gasoline and other fuels from Texas to the Northeast, providing nearly 45 percent of the fuel for the East Coast of the United States. Although Colonial Pipeline has not revealed who is responsible for the cyber attack, an unnamed person on the team investigating the incident confirmed that the culprit was a hacker group nicknamed Darkside. This group has been spreading ransomware since August 2020 and is classified as one of the most attackable groups. Over the past 3 years, Darkside has become more and more professional and has caused Western countries tens of billions of dollars in losses. Ransomware attacks are malicious code designed to lock down computer systems using encrypted data and demand a ransom to restore access. US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo on May 9 warned US businesses to be wary of ransomware attacks. The female minister affirmed that she would work closely with the Department of Homeland Security to handle the issue, considering this a top priority of the government. Reuters news agency, citing a notice from the White House, said the administration was working to help Colonial Pipeline company resume operations to avoid supply disruptions. According to sources, before activating ransomware, hackers often steal data, which is used to blackmail businesses or distort the truth. Sometimes stolen data is more valuable to hackers than the benefit they get by disrupting business operations. Security experts say the attack is a warning to operators and managers of essential infrastructure in the US such as electricity, water, energy and transportation facilities that have long been built. do not update the method to ensure security against the risk of being attacked. Mr. David Kennedy, a senior security consultant and founder of the security consulting firm TrustedSec, admitted that ransomware attacks have spiraled out of control in the US and are currently under development. is one of the greatest threats facing the United States. However, most American companies lack the ability to prepare for such threats.

According to the Vice , DarkSide’s message does not directly refer to the Colonial Pipeline attack, but is titled “Regarding the Latest News”. The group said its actions were unrelated to politics. The cyber attack on May 7 caused the Colonial Pipeline’s fuel pipeline system to stop working. Photo: Bloomberg. “We are a non-political group, not involved in geopolitics. Don’t tie us to a government or look for other motives… Our aim is to make money, not to cause problems for society,” a DarkSide representative wrote on a website belonging to the dark web. According to the Washington Post , some US officials believe that DarkSide is the hacker group behind the Colonial Pipeline attack. Also in the new statement, DarkSide said it will change the way it works and selects targets. “From today, we will examine and analyze each company that partners want to encrypt to avoid social consequences,” the group wrote. On May 7, Colonial Pipeline announced that it had to disconnect some systems after discovering it was “a victim of a cyber attack”. According to the Business Insider , this move caused more than 8,046 km of fuel pipes and some computer systems of Colonial Pipeline to stop working. In an updated statement on May 8, the company representative confirmed that the software used for the attack was in the form of ransomware, which encrypts files in the system and requires victims to pay if they want to get it. again. The company hired a cybersecurity firm to investigate the severity of the attack. The DarkSide hacker group spoke out after the alleged implementation of a cyber attack against the Colonial Pipeline. Photo: Motherboard. According to information on its website, Colonial Pipeline transports about 45% of all fuel consumed on the East Coast of the United States. On May 9, the company said that while the main pipelines are still closed, some smaller pipelines have been reactivated. In response to the incident, the US Department of Transportation has declared a state of emergency in 17 states and Washington to lift restrictions on carriers and drivers assisting in fuel shortages. The declaration of emergency will be in effect until the end of the state of affairs, or until 23:59 on June 8 (local time). After the Colonial Pipeline incident, gasoline prices in the US increased more than 3% to $2,217 per gallon – the highest price since May 2018. Experts warn that the price of gas raw materials may increase further if Colonial Pipeline does not reopen the pipeline in the next few days. How did the FBI hack the suspect’s iPhone? Cellebrite has invented a phone-cracking technology that makes it easier for the FBI to investigate.

Colonial Pipeline’s Dorsey hub in Maryland, USA. Photo: Reuters The difficulty in fuel supply has raised concerns that gasoline prices at pumping stations will escalate during the peak summer travel season. Colonial Pipeline said the company is trying to resume operations this weekend after its fuel pipeline system was paralyzed since May 7 after being hit by a cyber attack. The shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline’s fuel pipeline system shut down nearly half of the US East Coast’s fuel supply. The US Energy Administration on May 10 called for mandatory cybersecurity standards for fuel pipeline operators and operators. “Incentivizing the voluntary application of standards to pipelines is inadequate,” said US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Richard Glick. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has accused a cybercriminal group called “DarkSide” of causing a ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline. Reuters news agency quoted cybersecurity experts as saying that DarkSide is based in Russia or Eastern Europe, so the gang usually avoids targeting computers that use the languages ​​of the former Soviet republics. However, US President Joe Biden on May 10 expressed he did not believe that the Russian government was behind the cyber attack on the Colonial Pipeline. “So far there is no evidence based on our intelligence that Russia is involved,” Biden said. A statement titled DarkSide group on May 10 stated: “Our goal is to make money and not create problems for society.” Ransomware attack is a type of malware designed to disable computers by encrypting data and blackmailing victims if they want to regain system access. It is not clear what price the hackers offered for Colonial Pipeline, and the company has not commented on the matter. Fuel demand in the southeastern United States has increased sharply in recent days as consumers fear fuel shortages. The Southeastern region of the United States has long depended mainly on the supply of fuel flowing through the Colonial Pipeline’s pipeline system. The average national gasoline price rose 6 cents to $2.96 a gallon last week, the highest since May 2018 and close to a peak set in 2014, the American Automobile Association said. also warned of speculation about fuel hoarding as the supply continued to decrease. Katina Willey, a resident of Florida on May 10, said she had to go to 5 gas stations to buy gas. “Consumers have to wait in long lines at three of the five gas stations I go to,” added Katina Willey. Many other car owners said they were also looking to refill their gas tanks out of fear that the fuel situation could worsen. If the Colonial Pipeline’s pipeline disruptions continue, fuel suppliers may be able to force fuel transportation by trucks and trains to partially ease the fuel shortage. The US Department of Transportation on May 9 lifted travel restrictions for fuel truck drivers in 17 states affected by supply disruptions.

Illustration. The breach at Alpharetta, Georgia-based Colonial Pipeline is the latest in a series of cybersecurity incidents confronting the administration of President Joe Biden – as well as a striking reminder that many companies Operators of the nation’s most basic infrastructure, from dams to power plants, are still unprepared to deal with the threats posed by toxic numbers. Here’s a summary of how a criminal gang managed to get into Colonial’s systems and why the tool they use – ransomware – is such a persistent threat. How can a hacker shut down a pipeline? On May 7, Colonial Pipeline said it learned that hackers had infected their computer networks with ransomware, malicious code used to take control of computers and extract payments from victims. The breach affected Colonial’s business network, which it uses for tasks like payroll management and data reporting to regulators. Colonial disabled those systems, but it also turned off the much more sensitive technology running its pipeline operations — a precaution meant to prevent hackers from accessing it if they hadn’t already. These systems monitor air flow for impurities and leaks, control power levels, and perform other automated tasks to keep pipelines running smoothly. What exactly was closed? Colonial shut down its entire main pipeline, more than 5,500 miles long from Houston, Texas, to Linden, New Jersey. The pipeline transports 45% of gasoline, jet fuel and diesel to the US East Coast, according to the company. The short-lived outage sent wholesale gas prices up on financial markets in the affected region, but that rally cooled slightly during trading on May 10. And while some gasoline retailers may try to add a few cents a gallon to the price at the pump, there have been no reports of shortages at suppliers serving those retail points. Market analysts say the pipeline shutdown will need to last through at least the middle of the week to start affecting supply in some parts of the Southeast, and Houston’s refineries won’t start. reduce production unless Colonial shuts down until next week. Overall, the US is stockpiling 235 million barrels of gasoline, enough to supply the whole country for nearly a month. However, retail gasoline prices have risen steadily in recent weeks and any anxiety could accelerate gains as the country approaches Memorial Day weekend, which the industry considers is the beginning of the “summer driving season” in high demand. How bad could this be? It depends on whether the outage turns into a protracted crisis for Colonial’s customers, which include busy airports and US military bases. Some customers can buy fuel from foreign suppliers, but they will face more financial pressure as Colonial’s pipeline network remains offline. Colonial said on May 10 that it has begun reactivating segments of the pipeline and anticipates “significantly restoring operational service by the end of the week”. However, they did not explain what “basically” means and did provide some other details about the attack investigation. What is Ransomware? Ransomware is software that hackers deploy to lock down victims’ data so they can’t access or use it – in the worst case scenario, essentially shutting down an entire company or government office. The hacker then demands a ransom in exchange for providing a digital key to unlock the files. Over the past few years, ransomware has grown from an occasional nuisance to a ubiquitous threat. Victims include the hospital system, the school district and the DC police department, as well as many small businesses. According to the FBI report, ransomware attacks increased by 37% from 2018-2019 and 20% from 2019-2020. According to one report, the pandemic has led to a significant increase in ransomware, with the number of attacks Attacks more than doubled year-on-year, with a particularly large increase in the healthcare sector. The Department of Justice recently launched a task force to explore new solutions to the problem. But in the meantime, the problem continues to get worse as criminal motives grow. Why aren’t pipelines and power plants better protected against ransomware? The private companies that operate much of America’s critical infrastructure — power plants, dams, natural gas pipelines, and other critical facilities — often neglect to implement safety protocols. government-recommended cybersecurity. While protecting against foreign government hackers sometimes requires complex technology that small critical infrastructure operators cannot afford, protecting against ransomware is are not. Use strong passwords, train employees not to click on suspicious links, and require employees to use multi-factor authentication – which involves entering a randomly generated number after entering one’s password – can prevent all but the most advanced types of hacks, including ransomware. Despite years of warnings from government officials and cybersecurity experts, most companies outside of the highly regulated financial sector have not taken many of these steps. And even organizations that try to take cybersecurity seriously can be covered by small holes. A long-neglected office worker or old computer in a closet is often the weak link that opens an organization’s doors to hackers. With so many companies leaving themselves with easy targets, many cybercriminals have started using ransomware to make money. By choosing victims they know there can be no downtime, these criminals virtually guarantee themselves an easy profit. Additionally, many ransomware operators have begun exploiting a secondary source of profit: reselling stolen data on the dark web, where sensitive personal information can fetch huge sums. Between victims and hackers is a burgeoning crypto ecosystem, consisting of unscrupulous payment facilitators ready to handle ransom transactions and rock wall law enforcement. How often do victims pay the ransom? The US government discourages ransomware victims from paying attackers to regain access to their data. While some ransomware operators honor their agreements and unlock victims’ files to foster trust and increase their chances of receiving a future ransom, many of these criminals simply take the money and disappear. Paying the ransom also encourages cybercriminals to continue their attacks. Anne Neuberger, deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technologies, said: “We recognize that victims of cyberattacks often face very difficult situations and they must balance the cost-benefit when there is no other option about paying the ransom,” – told reporters on May 10 In the US, it is not illegal to pay a ransom to regain access to locked data. However, it is illegal to pay ransoms to entities on the Treasury’s sanctions list, and the Treasury Department has warned companies that assist ransomware victims to conduct due diligence on hackers. before making payment arrangements. DarkSide, what is the group behind the attack? The FBI has confirmed that the Colonial Pipeline hack was the work of the DarkSide ransomware gang. This group is a relatively newcomer to the ransomware ecosystem, but they are already well known for their professionalism, patience, and large ransom demand. Security firm Cybereason wrote in a report last month: “The team has a phone number and even a help desk to facilitate negotiations with the victim, and they are putting a lot of effort into gathering information. about their victims – not just technical information about their environment, but more general information about the company itself, like the size of the organization and estimated revenue.” DarkSide is based in Russia, but so far the US has said it does not believe the hackers acted on behalf of the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mr. Biden said on the afternoon of May 10: “To date, there is no evidence … from our intelligence people that Russia is involved. However, he added: “There is evidence that the actor’s ransomware is in Russia. They have some responsibility to deal with this.” Like other ransomware gangs, DarkSide operates on a so-called “ransomware-as-a-service” model, in which it provides code to less sophisticated hackers and helps them carry out attacks enter in exchange for their share of the profits. After being closely watched by the Colonial Pipeline attack, DarkSide seems to be rethinking this model. On May 10, a purported statement from the DarkSide hackers announced the group’s intention to scrutinize the partners’ planned attacks in the future to “avoid social consequences.” festival”. “Our goal is to make money, and not create problems for society.” What is the US government doing with this attack? The White House has established a working group that includes the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency; The Department of Transport’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration; FBI; and the Departments of Energy, Treasury and Defense. These agencies are working together to prepare for various scenarios should the pipeline remain shut, including planning for shortages and higher gas prices. In addition, the Department of Transportation waives regulations that limit the driving time without rest of fuel trucks in 17 states and Washington DC. That could make it easier to deliver to customers due to Colonial’s closure.

Illustration. The hack brought down the pipeline, now in its sixth day, and led to panic buying and gas shortages in the Southeastern United States. Colonial said it began reopening its pipeline late Wednesday afternoon, a process that could take days, but declined to comment on the ransom issue. Colonial is working closely with law enforcement, the Department of Energy, and US cybersecurity company FireEye to minimize damage and restore operations. Colonial and government responses to the breach are being closely watched following one of the most direct hacking attacks on US critical infrastructure after years of warnings. Ransomware attacks have increased in number and ransom prices, with hackers encrypting data and seeking cryptocurrency payments to unlock. Investigators in the Colonial case say the malware was distributed by a gang known as DarkSide, which consisted of Russian-speaking people and evaded attack targets in the former Soviet Union. DarkSide previously said that it has no intention of meddling in geopolitics and will be more careful about its affiliates going forward. On Wednesday, the group said on its website that it was “dropping” data from three other victims, including a technology company in Chicago. Officials have so far found no significant connection to the Russian government, concluding instead that the pipeline company that supplies 45% of the US East Coast’s oil was crippled by the attack. ransomware. DarkSide allows “affiliates” to infiltrate targets in different places, then handle ransom negotiation and data release. Two people involved in the Colonial investigation said the man linked in this case was a Russian criminal with no special ties to the government.

Illustration. https://tinhtexaydung.petrotimes.vn The attack resulted in higher gas prices, causing drivers to worry about shortages, while Colonial Pipeline Co. is working to restart the fuel line. However, the price of gasoline sold at pumping stations is higher and the possibility of fuel supply shortage is inevitable. After all, it is only temporary and its effects will be fleeting. But there’s a bigger problem: this has to do with America’s energy infrastructure, exactly how secure is its cybersecurity infrastructure? Experts soon said: The team that carried out this attack consisted of seasoned hackers. Later, a ransomware group called DarkSide claimed responsibility for the attack, and the FBI also pointed to this group as the culprit. Here’s what DarkSide said in its statement: “We are apolitical, we do not engage in geopolitics, do not need to tie us to a defined government, and seek our motives. . Our goal is to make money, and not create any other problems for society. Starting today, we’re introducing censorship and vetting of each company that our partners want to encrypt to avoid future social consequences.” The statement was clearly intended to address allegations made that Russia was behind the attack, but even the White House was careful not to point the finger at Moscow. President Biden said there was no evidence that they were involved in the attack. That’s related to geopolitical motives, but the statement also suggests that DarkSide and its partners won’t stop, even if they don’t intentionally cause problems. “Colonial may be at risk of leaking consignor confidential data,” said Vicki Knott, CEO of CruxOCM, a provider of control room operations services to the oil and gas industry. https://tinhtexaydung.petrotimes.vn

Accordingly, on the group’s website, DarkSide confirmed that it never intended to interrupt the US fuel supply when attacking the network of the Colonial Pipeline company, headquartered in Georgia, USA. The group also said that it will carefully examine its goals in the future, while emphasizing that the group is not affiliated with any governments when the cyber attack takes place because the group is always acting alone. DarkSide wrote on the website: “We are a non-political organization. We are not tied to a government. Our goal is to make money, not to put society in a difficult situation like it is today. in”. “From today, we will carefully examine each company that our partners want to attack to avoid future consequences,” the DarkSide team stressed. The partners the group refers to are “affiliates” of the group, DarkSide said. This group of hackers acts as a company that specializes in providing “hacking services” and is not directly involved in cyber attacks on companies or governments. The team will develop malware for the cyber attacks and negotiate the ransom with the victim, at the request of their partner. One source believes that DarkSide will receive 20-30% of the ransom for its services.

Accordingly, on the group’s website, DarkSide confirmed that it never intended to interrupt the US fuel supply when attacking the network of the Colonial Pipeline company, headquartered in Georgia, USA. The group also said that it will carefully examine its goals in the future, while emphasizing that the group is not affiliated with any governments when the cyber attack takes place because the group is always acting alone. DarkSide wrote on the website: “We are a non-political organization. We are not tied to a government. Our goal is to make money, not to put society in a difficult situation like it is today. in”. “From today, we will carefully examine each company that our partners want to attack to avoid future consequences,” the DarkSide team stressed. The partners the group refers to are “affiliates” of the group, DarkSide said. This group of hackers acts as a company that specializes in providing “hacking services” and is not directly involved in cyber attacks on companies or governments. The team will develop malware for the cyber attacks and negotiate the ransom with the victim, at the request of their partner. One source believes that DarkSide will receive 20-30% of the ransom for its services.

The Colonia company had to shut down the fuel pipeline after a cyber attack. Photo: AP. Leading American fuel pipeline company Colonial shut down its entire network that supplies nearly half of the fuel to the US East Coast, following a May 8 ransomware ransomware attack. Every day, the Colonial company ships 2.5 million barrels of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other products through a 850-kilometer pipeline connecting the eastern and southern coasts of the United States. The company has shut down systems to stop the threat after learning about the attack. According to sources, hackers are most likely a highly professional cybercrime group. And the malware used in the attack is ransomware. Ransomware is a type of malware designed to lock systems by encrypting data and taps money to regain access. This malware has become popular in the past 5 years. The Colonial Company has invited a third-party cybersecurity company to conduct an investigation and contacted law enforcement and other federal agencies to initiate an investigation. Colonial provided no further details or said how long their fuel lines would be closed. “Cyber ​​vulnerabilities have become a systemic issue,” said Ms. Algirde Pipikaite, Head of Network Strategies at the World Economic Forum’s Cyber ​​Security Center. Without measures to protect cybersecurity, attacks are occurring more often on industrial systems such as oil and gas pipelines or water treatment plants. In 2017, Colonial shut down its gas distillation and production lines during Hurricane Harvey that hit the Gulf Coast. That contributes to tight supply and price increases in gasoline in the US.

Colonial Pipeline America’s largest fuel pipeline system was attacked by network, has not yet assessed the damage. (Source: Freightwaves) To deal with the incident, the company had to close the entire network. Colonial Pipeline said the attack “suspended all pipeline operations and affected some of our IT systems”. Sources in cybersecurity revealed that the malware used in the Colonial Pipeline attack was ransomware – a type of malware designed to block systems with how to encrypt data and request a ransom payment to restore access. The Colonial transports gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other refined products from the Gulf of Texas to the populous US East Coast via a 8,850 km pipeline, serving 50 million customers. Oil analyst Andy Lipow said that the impact of the attack on supply and fuel prices will depend on how long the pipeline is down. If the line stops working for a day or two, the impact will be minor. However, if the pipeline is forced to shut down for 5 or 6, shortages or price increases will occur, especially in the area stretching from Alabama to Washington DC. (According to AFP, Reuters)

On April 27, Russia’s Akademic Chersky pipe-laying vessel began installing the unfinished pipeline in Danish territorial waters. According to Foreign Minister Maas, it is impractical to consider the project to bring gas from Russia to Germany as a political lever of Russia. “Based on our previous assessment, the Northern Flow 2 project is purely related to energy policy. Therefore, Germany should not see this project as a move to influence the Russia ”- German Foreign Minister said. German officials have repeatedly asserted that they consider completion of the Northern Flow 2 project construction as essential. Berlin considers this project an economic one. However, the German government maintains that Ukraine should play the role of transshipment of gas from Russia to Europe, after the Northern Flow 2 pipeline becomes operational. Germany is now abandoning coal and nuclear power to convert to renewable sources that do not pose a problem for its industry, which needs more gas. In a related development, the project operator Nord Stream 2 AG announced on April 27 that Russia’s Akademic Chersky pipe-laying vessel began to install the unfinished pipeline in Danish territorial waters. “After conducting sea trials, the Akademic Chersky has begun work on the installation of the pipeline in the Danish exclusive economic zone from today,” said Nord Stream 2 AG on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Fortuna – another Russian pipe-laying vessel also continues to carry out the construction of the project in Danish territorial waters under license. Up to now, the Northern Flow 2 project is 95% complete, only the final 121km of the pipeline have to be installed.

Northern flow 2: Germany receives a request for a building permit, President Biden falls into a ‘dilemma’. (Source: The Brussels Times)

The website Tagesspiegel.de recently published an article titled “A guaranteed gas supply even without the Northern Stream 2 project”.

Accordingly, the Northern Flow 2 gas pipeline project not only supplies gas to Germany and the European Union (EU) but also has strategic implications for the transition of energy, the environment and political geography.

Once again, this has become a central issue in the context of Russia increasing its military forces on the Ukrainian border and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin making his first visit to Germany.

The question is, is this piping system really necessary? What would the consequences be if the pipeline didn’t go into service?

The opinions are mixed

Experts have many different opinions. Some people, like Jens Hobohm from Prognos Institute for Economic Research (Germany), believe that Northern Flow 2 from an energy point of view is necessary and meaningful.

In contrast, expert Claudia Kemfert from the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) argues that the answer is “definitely not”.

According to Kemfert, it is not necessary to have any additional infrastructure for the transportation of natural gas from Russia. In addition, the plan to increase natural gas consumption will conflict with the discussed and agreed climate protection goals.

This expert said that there would be no serious problems if the Northern Flow 2 could not be completed and put into operation. If gas from Russia cannot reach Germany through this pipeline system, Germany and Europe will find other energy solutions.

In this regard, new US President Joe Biden has stated that, like his predecessor, Donald Trump, he wants to prevent the completion of the project through the threat of punishing companies involved in the project. .

Still many EU partners believe that, with the assistance of the Northern Flow 2, Germany is acting against the common interests of Europe.

Chairman of the European People’s Party (EPP) group at the European Parliament Manfred Weber said that the Northern Flow 2 project “will definitely not be feasible” if Russian President Vladimir Putin lets the conflict in the region. East Ukraine escalated.

Will the gas supply be at risk then? To answer this question, the forecasts of the amount of gas that Germany and Europe will need in the coming years are central.

From the outset, critics accused the conglomerates that built the pipeline project “inflated” the data on German and European gas demand, making the project indispensable. and completely overwhelmed the opposition.

However, Jens Hobohm believes that this criticism holds true only in previous years, but in recent years, gas consumption in Germany and Europe has increased more than expected due to the need for natural gas. as a bridge for energy transitions.

When countries like Germany give up nuclear power, Poland reduces its dependence on coal, while solar and wind energy are still unable to meet demand, gas is the optimal solution.

According to a study by the Prognos Research Institute, in 2014, the EU consumed 400 billion cubic meters of gas; in 2015, the figure was 419 billion cubic meters and in 2019 it was 470 billion cubic meters.

Consumption figures for 2020 have not been specifically calculated, but according to expert Hobohm, this number is expected to decrease due to the impact of the epidemic of acute respiratory infections Covid-19.

In Germany alone, gas consumption will also increase from 77 billion cubic meters in 2015 to 89 billion cubic meters in 2019, while in 2020 this figure will decrease by about 2.5 percent.

Is that a compelling argument for the construction of the Northern Flow 2 project or would the existing pipes be enough to meet demand?

Is the project really necessary?

If we compare the gas consumption figures for 2019 to 2006, when the first Northern Flow system was planned to be constructed, it can be seen that the consumption volume has never been as high as it was before. Meanwhile, the project construction consortium insists that pipelines are needed as gas consumption will increase continuously. In fact, in 2006, Germany consumed 92 billion cubic meters of gas, while in the EU it was 511 billion cubic meters.

Hobohm adds that Europe’s gas imports from outside Europe depend on how much the continent can produce and to what extent can it meet its own demand?

Currently, the amount of gas produced internally has decreased, partly due to the Netherlands cutting production share faster than planned.

The key point now, experts say, is that the Northern Flow 2 project is still under construction. And Europe has no problems with gas supplies. Whether this project can go into operation or not and never work is an open question.

The later this pipeline is completed, the less necessary it is to be, as the role of natural gas will decline more and more.

Along with that, security policy risks are also very concerned.

First, it is due to the dependence of Europe and Germany on gas from a Russia.

Second, additional risks come from this project because the pipeline runs from Russia through the Baltic Sea and then directly to Germany, not through intermediate states such as Ukraine, Belarus and Poland.

Critics of the project raise two questionable issues.

FirstlyMr. Putin wants free hands to implement his policies with neighboring countries without being afraid to depend on them (when gas exports no longer have to pass through these countries).

Monday, the operation of the Northern Flow 2 system leads to a decrease in the amount of gas flowing through the existing pipes, thereby reducing Ukraine’s income from allowing gas from Russia to transit through its territory. .

The national budget of Kiev will be more than 2 billion euros. Then, the pressure on the EU to increase its aid to Ukraine will grow.