A Russian ransomware group DarkSide used malware to lock servers in the Colonial Pipeline IT environment. Out of an abundance of caution, Colonial shutdown its operations while it rebuilt the environment.
No
A cyber attack is a cyber operation, whether offensive or defensive, that is reasonably expected to cause injury or death to persons or damage or destruction to objects.
Michael Schmitt et al; Tallinn Manual 1.0, pp 92
- ✅ Cyber Operation?
- ❌ Expected to cause death or injury to people or damage to objects?
The Colonial Pipeline Ransomware Incident does not match this definition. Here's a list of actual cyberattacks and and why this matters.