Colonial Pipeline hires former Equifax cyber executive as CISO

Colonial Pipeline, the major oil infrastructure company that was forced to temporarily shut down operations last May due to a ransomware attack, announced on Tuesday that it appointed a new leader for its information and data security program.

Adam Tice, who is joining the pipeline operator as its chief information security officer, most recently led security operations, detection and response, threat intelligence, and investigations at Silicon Valley Bank. Prior to that, he served as Equifax’s senior vice president of cyber operations, helping to enhance the credit-reporting firm’s security program following its massive data breach in 2017.

“American businesses, both large and small, are increasingly becoming a target of nation-state actors or cyber criminals with a variety of motives. As we saw with the various cybersecurity incidents last year, one bad day can cause a ripple effect across the country,” said Tice in a statement.

The company operates about 5,500 miles of pipeline that delivers gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, home heating oil, and other refined oil products throughout the Southern and Eastern U.S. The FBI said the ransomware group DarkSide was able to hold the company’s digital equipment hostage last May, demanding 75 Bitcoin to unlock their computers. Although a ransom was paid and Colonial Pipeline was able to restore its systems, the attack caused panic buying and fuel shortages in the region it served.

Last month, a senior Biden administration official said Russia’s security services arrested a hacker who was responsible for the attack.

“We remain committed to continue our investment in cybersecurity. Bringing Adam onto the team is an important next step in our journey to mature and further enhance our defenses – and in our efforts to deepen our public-private sector cybersecurity partnerships,” said Colonial Pipeline’s CEO Joe Blount in a statement.