Oil giant Halliburton is facing a serious computer system problem, reportedly linked to a cyber attack.
The company has acknowledged the issue but has not confirmed whether a cyberattack was responsible. Operations at the company’s Houston campus and certain global networks have been impacted, a person familiar with the matter said (via Reuters).
A Halliburton spokesperson confirmed: “We are aware of an issue affecting certain company systems and are working diligently to assess the cause and potential impact.”
Halliburton hit by suspected cyberattack
The company also said it has activated its pre-planned response protocol and is working with leading third-party cybersecurity experts to address the situation.
While no further details have been released, the incident underscores the growing threat of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, particularly in the energy sector.
Earlier this year, a ransomware attack on CDK Global disrupted operations at thousands of auto dealerships across the U.S. Similarly, a ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline in 2021 caused widespread panic along the East Coast.
Eric Noonan, CEO of IT security company CyberSheath, noted (via CNN): “Critical infrastructure operators in the United States may decide for themselves to what extent they apply cybersecurity measures.”
The situation at Halliburton continues to evolve, and the full extent of the disruption and potential long-term impact remains to be seen. At the same time, the energy industry, government agencies and cybersecurity experts will continue to closely monitor the increasing threat of cyberattacks to increase protection against similar attacks in the future.
Halliburton reported revenue of $5.8 billion for the most recent quarter, representing a quarterly increase of 0.7% and a year-over-year increase of 0.8%.