Cyberattack Impacts Halliburton's Systems
Halliburton Suffers Cyberattack: A Wake-Up Call for the Energy Sector
In a concerning turn of events, Halliburton, a major U.S. oilfield services company, has fallen victim to a cyberattack affecting its operations at its Houston, Texas offices. The attack, reported by Reuters on Wednesday, marks a significant incident in the ongoing battle against cyber threats targeting critical infrastructure.
According to reports, an unauthorized third party gained access to some of Halliburton's systems on Wednesday. In response, the company proactively shut off certain systems and notified law enforcement. Halliburton has also launched an investigation into the incident and activated its response plan, working both internally and with external experts to restore its internal systems and determine any material business impact.
As a precautionary measure, some employees were asked not to connect to internal networks. The Department of Energy is aware of the reported problem and is coordinating with interagency partners regarding the cyberattack. The Department of Energy, however, has not yet disclosed the nature of the incident.
Chris Grove, director of cybersecurity strategy at Nozomi Networks, stated that the incident underscores the growing vulnerability of critical infrastructures in a digitalized world. He further emphasized the expansion of cyber-physical systems attack surfaces makes the security landscape more complex and challenging.
Oil and gas industries, like Halliburton, are prime targets for ransomware and nation-state attackers, according to Grove. Notably, the DragonForce ransomware group, active since 2023 and linked to Halliburton attacks, is involved in a turf war with a competitor called RansomHub. This conflict could intensify the threat landscape, making energy companies more susceptible to advanced extortion schemes.
Despite the cyberattack, Halliburton announced strong second-quarter 2025 financial results with $472 million net income and $5.5 billion in revenue, suggesting the company has so far managed to sustain operations amid the incident. However, ransomware attacks on industrial and engineering firms in Texas, including Halliburton, are part of a broader surge in U.S. ransomware attacks that increased 149% year-over-year in early 2025, often leading to multi-million dollar recovery costs and operational disruptions.
The potential impact of this cyberattack on the energy industry includes operational delays at a critical service provider, heightened awareness of cybersecurity vulnerabilities in energy infrastructure, and increased financial and reputational risks. The ongoing conflict between ransomware groups could intensify the threat landscape, making energy companies more susceptible to advanced extortion schemes.
Halliburton, with more than 48,000 employees and annual revenue of $23 billion, is one of the largest diversified energy services companies in the world. The company is communicating with customers and other stakeholders regarding the cyberattack and is conducting the investigation in accordance with an 8-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Halliburton stated that they are aware of an issue affecting certain company systems and are working diligently to assess the cause and potential impact. Chris Grove, in his statement, highlighted the importance of cybersecurity for public safety and operational resilience in light of the incident.
[1] Reuters. (2025, July 23). Halliburton hit by cyberattack, company says it's working to assess impact. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/halliburton-hit-cyberattack-company-says-its-working-assess-impact-2025-07-23/
[2] Krebs on Security. (2025, August 5). Halliburton Hit by Ransomware Attack, Report Says. Retrieved from https://krebsonsecurity.com/2025/08/halliburton-hit-by-ransomware-attack-report-says/
[3] Halliburton. (2025, August 3). Halliburton Announces Second Quarter 2025 Results. Retrieved from https://www.halliburton.com/news/releases/2025/08/03/halliburton-announces-second-quarter-2025-results
[4] Cybersecurity Dashboard. (2025, March 1). U.S. Ransomware Attacks Surge 149% Year-Over-Year in Q1 2025. Retrieved from https://www.cybersecuritydashboard.com/us-ransomware-attacks-surge-149-year-over-year-in-q1-2025/
- In light of the recent cyberattack on Halliburton, there is a growing concern about the vulnerability of critical infrastructures, especially in the energy sector, as advanced extortion schemes such as ransomware pose a significant threat.
- The ongoing conflict between ransomware groups like DragonForce and RansomHub could intensify the threat landscape, making energy companies, including Halliburton, more susceptible to cyberattacks, necessitating strengthened cybersecurity measures in technology and infrastructure.
