Beyond Airports, TSA Also Manages Pipeline Security. That Could Be A Problem

The recent Colonial Pipeline hack created shortages and panic-buying of gasoline, and also raised questions about federal oversight of critical energy infrastructure.

It may come as a surprise to learn that the Transportation Security Administration, whose officers screen luggage and carry-ons at airport check-in gates, also has responsibility for the cybersecurity of energy pipelines.

"This dates back to the 9/11 era when Congress created TSA," said Robert Knake, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. "They also gave TSA responsibility for pipelines and for surface transportation."

But the TSA's pipeline cybersecurity responsibilities were overlooked even within the agency. A 2018 report by the Government Accountability Office found what it labeled "significant weaknesses" in TSA's management of pipeline security. It noted that there were only six positions focused on the nation's 2.7 million miles of pipelines.