Posted on 04/08/2009 4:29:37 PM PDT by fight_truth_decay
Foreign hackers have reportedly managed to break into the computer network controlling the nation's power grid. The discovery has raised alarm about how such unauthorized access could be used to harm the U.S., though the discovery may motivate actions to strengthen the security systems surrounding the nation's infrastructure.
A Wall Street Journal report that foreign hackers have repeatedly penetrated the U.S. power grid computer network has delivered a loud wake-up call.
Cyber-spies from countries including China and Russia have breached the electrical infrastructure's computer network and left software tools behind that would have allowed them to control or destroy infrastructure components, according to the report. The breaches also involved water, sewage and other infrastructure systems.
"Hacking our critical infrastructure really isn't a big play for cyber-criminals. They are not going to get enough bang for the buck, so to say. It shouldn't have happened. We are going about hardening our critical infrastructure. I see a lot of really good efforts taking place to harden it," Paul Henry, forensic and security analyst for Lumension, told TechNewsWorld.
Cause for Alarm? Companies involved with protecting the grid often conduct penetration tests and audit activity logs for signs of trouble within the infrastructure. However, the infrastructure's apparent compromise was not discovered through these routine internal methods.
Many of these intrusions were detected by U.S. intelligence agencies rather than by the companies in charge of the infrastructure, according to the report. That is causing intelligence officials to worry about cyber-attackers taking control of electrical facilities, nuclear power plants or financial networks via the Internet.
(Excerpt) Read more at technewsworld.com ...
"But it is incredibly useful as an amplification of an attack. If you can get the ability to get into the grid and have the ability to shut down power to specific segments, it is a large terrorist advantage. If you launch a traditional terrorist attack in that region and can shut down the electricity at the same time, you can interfere with emergency responders," Henry explained to TechNewsWorld.
"What keeps your lights on are some very, very old technology," said Joe Weiss, a security expert who has testified before Congress about such threats. "If you can get access to these systems, you can conceptually cause them to do whatever it is you want them to do."
President Bush's top telecommunications advisers concluded years ago that an organization such as a foreign intelligence service or a well-funded terror group "could conduct a structured attack on the electric power grid electronically, with a high degree of anonymity, and without having to set foot in the target nation." Amit Yoran former U.S. cyber security chief for the Bush administration is also chief executive for NetWitness Corp., which sells sophisticated network monitoring software.
Ominously, the Idaho National Laboratory — which produced a new video in 2007 marked "Official Use Only." — has described the risk as "the invisible threat...."an industrial turbine spinning wildly out of control until it becomes a smoking hulk and power shuts down".
"It's so graphic," Yoran said. "Talking about bits and bytes doesn't have the same impact as seeing something catch fire."-
I’m more concerned about Obama-hackers using smart grids and smart meters to control the temperature in my home.
Oh, that’s part of the plan...you’re not wearing your Carteresque sweater? We’ll just cool things down a bit more.
Seriously though - there are enough areas of the power grid to be concerned about, the place to start is NOT by throwing a bunch of new, never-before-used, unproven but gotta-have-it technology at the problem just because some idiot politicians in DC think that’s the way to solve it.
Re Smart Grids:
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/smartgrid
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/smartgrids
ay yi yi- now i got something else to worry about
this stuff happens every day. The only reason we are seeing this story is to support BOs efforts to control the internet. To give him the power to peer into everyones computer.
“the place to start is NOT by throwing a bunch of new, never-before-used, unproven but gotta-have-it technology at the problem just because some idiot politicians in DC think that’s the way to solve it.”
Got that right ;-)
His energy secretary has already expressed a desire to remotely turn air conditioners down at peak usage times. Wonder if she plans to do that with the heat too?
“blame Google”
I’ve read all about it. sigh....
Oh my - present the POTENTIAL problem scenario and come in with the solution.
“Wonder if she plans to do that with the heat too?”
I’m sure that too. Anything to save the polar bears.
GMTA...I was just saying the same thing to my SO this AM
Lawmakers Call for National Cyber Security Czar
Legislation that would create a national cyber security czar reporting directly to the White House was introduced April 1 by U.S. Senators John D. Rockefeller (D-WVA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME). The new position would serve as the government's top official on all cyber security matters, including coordinating efforts between the government and the private sector.
Let's rush this bill through without reading it too!
News Press Herald: Central Maine Power Co.'s proposal for a $1.5 billion upgrade to its transmission grid could be delayed or scaled back to address issues being raised by state utility regulators.
During a meeting last month at the Public Utilities Commission offices involving CMP and other parties, the three commissioners expressed concerns about technical assumptions CMP is using to justify the cost and scope of the Maine Power Reliability Program.
"The commissioners sent a clear signal that it's going to be difficult for them to approve (the case) in the form it's in," said Richard Davies, the state's public advocate. "The message from the commissioners was, 'This is too massive.'
The backbone of southern Maine's high-voltage transmission system was built in 1971. Power consumption has doubled since then.
American taxpayers build up infrastructure in other parts of the world to the tune of "a-kajillion dollars"..but we never have the money enough to do the same at home.
None of this is new.
I’d say this is a news story now because some leftist politician(I wonder which one) is going to be proposing some radical plan for the power industry/grid. Of course it will fix this “hacker” problem, and do many many many other things. They are just arranging for this to be fed to the news to get the sheeple prepped for the plan.
True, but Google's announcement has helped the stock.
And...It's all about the timing.
You can't let a good crisis go to waste.
Very odd that these things happen when Obama wants a smart grid...
Cooincidence?
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