Tom Rogan
Washington Examiner, June 21, 2022
“what was not explained is how a critical overpressure event could have occurred without safety systems kicking into action.”
On Thursday, Freeport LNG provided the Washington Examiner with a statement: “While our ongoing investigation continues, a cyberattack was ruled out as the cause within days of the incident. After a thorough assessment of our network, our internal cyber detection systems have been confirmed to have been functioning properly and do not indicate any manipulation or compromise of our security solutions.” However, I understand that Freeport LNG does not have the Operation Technology/Industrial Control Systems network detection systems necessary to detect XENOTIME’s ICS-targeting TRITON malware. I asked Freeport LNG whether it has OT/ICS systems. Freeport did not respond to that specific inquiry, instead stating that its original statement “Stands. Nothing further.” Considering XENOTIME’s use of TRITON (reemphasized in an April 22 notice by the U.S. and its closest allies), unless Freeport LNG has OT/ICS network detection systems deployed appropriately and has completed a forensics investigation, a cyberattack cannot be ruled out. I understand that the federal government continues to investigate the incident
According to two sources, around the time of Russia’s late February invasion of Ukraine, a cyber unit of Russia’s GRU military intelligence service again conducted targeting-reconnaissance operations against a major U.S. liquefied natural gas exporter, Freeport LNG.
U.S. LNG exports have long been a priority concern for Russia, viewed by Russian President Vladimir Putin as a means for the United States to undercut Russia’s domination of the European gas market.
On June 8, Freeport LNG suffered an explosion at its liquefaction plant and export terminal on Texas’s Quintana Island. The damage suffered means the facility is not expected to resume major operations until late 2022. The June 8 disruption had an immediate impact in spiking already soaring European gas prices and has reinforced Russia’s ability to hold gas supplies to Europe at risk in retaliation for the European Union sanctions imposed on Russia over the war in Ukraine. U.S. LNG futures have fallen significantly since the explosion.
One source tells me that the FBI is investigating the cause of the explosion. Responding to a question as to whether the FBI and its Cyber Division were involved in the investigation, the FBI told the Washington Examiner, “We can neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation into this matter.”
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