Ecopetrol Faces Cybersecurity Incident with Data Breach and Extortion Threat

Ecopetrol S.A., Colombia's state-owned energy company, reported unauthorized access to its digital resources on July 17, 2026. An external actor gained access to cloud-based file storage affecting around 15 subsidiaries, leading to the unauthorized download of data from approximately 3,300 user accounts. The attacker has made extortion demands, threatening to publicly release the stolen data. The company has activated its incident response protocols, including revoking unauthorized access and blocking download mechanisms. A criminal complaint has been filed with the Office of the Attorney General of Colombia. As of now, there is no material disruption to operations or financial impact reported. However, the company is assessing potential exposure of sensitive corporate information.

Key Points: • Ecopetrol reported unauthorized access affecting 3,300 user accounts. • An attempted ransomware attack was blocked by existing cybersecurity measures. • The company has initiated an investigation and filed a criminal complaint.