DHS will reportedly introduce the US' first cybersecurity regulations after the Colonial Pipeline hack revealed the fragility of American infrastructure

US officials will introduce the country's first pipeline cybersecurity regulations after hackers attacked the country's largest oil pipeline earlier this month, causing a massive outage, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.

Unnamed officials at the Department of Homeland Security told the paper that the agency, through its Transportation Security Administration subsidiary, will issue a new directive this week requiring pipeline companies to report incidents of cyber vulnerabilities to officials. The new rules may also require companies to appoint a cyber official to have around-the-clock contact with federal authorities.

More regulations will be announced in the coming weeks for companies in an effort to ensure the safety of the industry's online infrastructure, the report said.

As the Post notes, DHS has historically issued only voluntary guidance on cyber safety, but these new rules will be mandatory. Other sectors involving things like health care and wastewater processes also don't typically implement required cyber guidelines.

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