Technology Services

Why GAO did this study. The internet is a global system of interconnected networks used by billions of people across the world to perform personal, educational, commercial, and governmental tasks. The US Government over time has relinquished its oversight role of the internet. A global, multistakeholder community made up of many organizations shapes internet policy, operations, and security. But the ongoing and increasing reliance on the internet underscores the need to understand the risks to its underlying architecture.

The vast US network of natural gas, crude oil, and refined product pipelines is integral to US energy supply and also has vital links to other critical infrastructure such as power plants and airports. This network is vulnerable to cyberattacks. Pipeline companies employ technologies which enable them to achieve business and operational efficiencies, but these technologies are susceptible to cybersecurity risks - and these risks have been growing. The May 2021 ransomware attack against the Colonial Pipeline, which disrupted gasoline supplies throughout the East Coast.