Posted on 04/26/2012 10:36:42 AM PDT by Kartographer
As smart grid metering systems expand across the developed world, many are starting to ask whether the threats posed by the new devices, which officials promise will save energy and reduce end user utility costs, outweigh their benefits. In addition to documented health concerns resulting from radiation emissions and no cost savings being apparent, opponents of the technology argue that smart meters are violative of basic privacy rights and give the government yet another digital node of unfettered access to monitor and control personal electricity consumption.
Now, an alarming new documentary suggests that security problems with the inter-connected and seemingly convenient smart grid may be so serious that they could lead to a catastrophic failure of our nation’s entire power infrastructure.
In an interview for the upcoming documentary titled Take Back Your Power, Cyber defense expert David Chalk warns that our nation is in crisis. Not only are our smart power grids susceptible to hacking, but they may very well already be infected with Trojan viruses and back doors that will ultimately lead to disastrous consequences:
(Excerpt) Read more at nebraskaenergyobserver.wordpress.com ...
Preppers’ PING!
ping
Could I get on your ping list?
The damn sky is ffffalling too; wear a hardhat when you go outdoors!
I have a number of alternatives to getting juice from the usual outlets.
FYI
Sounds like “Marketing Your Documentary 101”.
Similar lesson to “Teasing your Local Newscast 101” — “It could be deadly, and it may be on your dinner table. News at 10.”
SnakeDoc
So are you saying there is any way a hacker or hackers could take down a smart grid?
How? Wait for a Sunny and hot day. Shut down Smart Grid compliant AC units - then turn them all back on, at the same time. This will cause a "Brown-out", cascade the "Brown Out" across numerous nodes, such that any attempts to over-come the power surge are met with minimal power - this then becomes a "Cascading Power Failure".
It's what I would do, if I wanted to attack an infrastructure. However, this is an overt 'Act of War', but with Zero in charge - I suspect a mild written rebuke would be called for, and possibly followed by 20+ more slightly stronger worded rebukes.
hyperbole
But think of how much less coal we’ll burn when the grid goes down. /s
Since I work in the industry providing automation solutions to companies such as these I think I may be able to help reassure those that still at least have one foot on the ground.
Many of the companies that provide electricity to the grid are not running windows to power their systems, they are still running everything on UNIX. They simply cannot upgrade because they have a 100% up-time requirement.
Those that are running on Windows based systems are under a very rigid security requirement from the government. These security requirements are mandated, they have no choice. Even the USB slots on these machines are blocked out from use.
Such systems are NEVER on the greater internet. They are on a localized intranet and not accessible from the outside world. Someone would have to get in on the inside AND have administrator privs to infect anything.
So what is at risk? Perhaps 1% of the systems and thus the grid.
My electric company has been pushing the Smart Meter BS for a couple of years now. They were even offerring discounts for those households that signed up (or tax penalties for those who didn’t, depending on your point of view). I never signed on.
Got a letter from them yesterday that I am getting a Smart Meter whether I want one or not! So much for freedom of choice!
I’m not familiar enough with the smart meters to judge them one way or another but I would assume that they are heavily fire walled and tamper proof. Otherwise and Joe could open one up and tinker with it to skew the numbers.
I’m glad I don’t have one. If they force one on me it will simply run into a series of unfortunate accidents until I can go completely solar (but still on the grid) and then it won’t matter.
Are you saying that they are running on 40 year old hardware and software that has NEVER been down for maintainence or upgrades?
100% Certainty? Really?
I don’t have 100% Certainty that I’m going to take my next breat
For the most part, yes but maybe closer to 20 years. These are newer UNIX machines and they can get software upgrades.
Swapping out the entire system for an entire infrastructure upgrade? Not happening.
Are you saying that there is a 100% Certainty of Total Catastrophic Failure of Entire Power Infrastructure Within 3 Years?
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