A cyber attack has forced a shut down of the largest US fuel pipeline, which carries nearly half the fuel consumed by the East Coast

• The largest US refined fuel pipeline operator, Colonial Pipeline, says it was the victim of a cyber attack.
• The attack forced the company to halt operations of its 5,500 miles of pipeline.
• Colonial transports approximately 45% of all fuel consumed on the East Coast.
• See more stories on Insider's business page.

Colonial Pipeline, the largest US refined fuel pipeline operator, has shut down operations because of a cyber attack, the company said.

After learning it was "the victim of a cybersecurity attack," the pipeline operator on Friday took certain systems offline, temporarily halting pipeline operations and certain IT systems. It also hired an outside cybersecurity firm that is investigating the severity of the breach, the company said in a statement.

"At this time, our primary focus is the safe and efficient restoration of our service and our efforts to return to normal operation," the statement said.

The company is the country's largest refined products pipeline operator, transporting more than 100 million gallons of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and home heating oil daily through a pipeline system that spans 5,500 miles from Houston, Texas to the New York area.

Colonial pipelines transport approximately 45% of all fuel consumed on the East Coast, according to its website.

Federal authorities and law enforcement have also been contacted about the attack, according to Colonial.

Cybersecurity experts have long warned that critical parts of the national infrastructure could be vulnerable to a cyber attack.

Ransomware was used in the attack on Colonial, the Washington Post reported Saturday, citing unidentified US officials.

Colonial did not say how long it expects its operations to be shut down.

Gasoline futures gained 0.6% on Friday.