Colombia’s state-controlled energy company Ecopetrol has disclosed a significant cybersecurity incident that resulted in the theft of data linked to approximately 3,300 user accounts, raising fresh concerns about the resilience of critical infrastructure organisations against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
The company confirmed that the breach affected cloud-based file storage environments across Ecopetrol and 15 of its subsidiaries. While the energy major stated that operations, production capacity and financial activities have not experienced any immediate disruption, it acknowledged that the incident could still have a material impact on its business and reputation.
Ecopetrol, Colombia’s largest company and one of Latin America’s biggest energy producers, accounts for more than 60% of the country’s hydrocarbon production.
According to the company’s disclosures, the unidentified threat actor has issued extortion demands and threatened to publicly release the stolen information. Ecopetrol also revealed that it successfully prevented an attempted ransomware attack during the incident, suggesting that the attackers may have shifted their focus from encrypting systems to leveraging stolen information as a means of pressure.
The incident reflects a growing trend in the cybersecurity landscape, where threat actors increasingly prioritise data theft and extortion over operational disruption.
For critical infrastructure organisations, the Ecopetrol incident serves as another reminder that cyber resilience can no longer be measured solely by operational continuity. Even when production remains unaffected, the theft of sensitive information can create regulatory, financial and reputational consequences that persist long after systems have been restored.
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