Halliburton, a giant in the oil and gas sector, has become the latest victim of cyber attack. The attack, which came to limelight on Wednesday, forced the company to shut down parts of its internal systems.

The Houston-based energy company, which is known globally for its operations in the energy sector and fracking technology, has nearly 48,000 employees worldwide. Although, the company declined to give specifics about the nature of the cyber attack, it confirmed the unauthorized access to its systems. The company did not also say if a ransom has been paid, neither has it named the attacker.

In response to the attack, Halliburton activated its cybersecurity plan, taking certain systems offline to protect them from further intrusion. To further mitigate the situation, the company has been working with external advisors as well as law enforcement agencies to assess and remediate the situation.

“We are aware of an issue affecting certain company systems and are working diligently to assess the cause and potential impact. We have activated our pre-planned response plan and are working internally and with leading experts to remediate the issue,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

The United States’ Department of Energy said there are currently no indications of the incident impacting energy services. However, the attack has affected business operations at Halliburton’s Houston campus and some global networks, with employees initially instructed not to connect to the company’s systems.

This incident is another testament to the ongoing threat of cyber attacks on big companies, and the need for an elevated level of cyber security. Cybersecurity experts have warned that the energy sector is a prime target for attackers due to its importance to the economy of the world.

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The particular situation becomes more concerning given recent warnings from U.S. intelligence agencies about potential foreign interference in the upcoming 2024 elections, including cyber operations targeting political campaigns.

As Halliburton works to restore its systems and assess the damage, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for robust cybersecurity measures in the energy industry and other critical sectors. It also underscores the importance of public-private partnerships in addressing and mitigating cyber threats to national security and economic stability.