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The Government Admits The US Power Grid Can Be Taken Out At Any Time
TBI ^ | 8-2-2012 | Walter Hickey

Posted on 08/01/2012 10:23:27 PM PDT by blam

The Government Admits The US Power Grid Can Be Taken Out At Any Time

Walter Hickey
Aug. 1, 2012, 7:00 PM

The Government Accountability Office just released a report backing up earlier findings: because a series of recommendations were ignored, the U.S. electric grid remains highly susceptible to cyberattacks.

The grid is reliant on a number of IT systems that have known and likely unknown vulnerabilities. The result of a cyberattack on the grid could result in damage to electricity control systems, power outages, and failures in safety equipment on a scale currently unknown.

GAO believes that there are still massive problems in the way the grid secures itself. Here are some of the reasons why they said the grid was open to attack:

* A lack of a coordinated approach to monitor industry compliance with voluntary standards.
* Aspects of the current regulatory environment made it difficult to ensure the cybersecurity of smart grid systems.
* A focus by utilities on regulatory compliance instead of comprehensive security. * A lack of security features consistently built into smart grid systems.

The verdict? A terrible regulatory environment that makes the industry focus on things that don't make the grid more secure. Electric companies who couldn't care less about spending more on security. A lack of focus on preventing an attack against the electric lifeblood of the United States.

The worst is, GAO told the Government what they had to do last year, and it was ignored.

The Department of Commerce's report on smart grid security was "missing key elements" and has not been fixed.

The Department of Energy was tasked with "periodically evaluate[ing] the extent to which utilities [...] are following voluntary interoperability and cybersecurity standards" and this report says they haven't.

(snip)

(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: blackout; cyberattack; electricity; powerouttage
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That's funny....The Government Accountability Office
1 posted on 08/01/2012 10:23:41 PM PDT by blam
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To: blam

Government Accountability

Talk about an oxymoron.


2 posted on 08/01/2012 10:25:07 PM PDT by dfwgator (FUJR (not you, Jim))
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To: appalachian_dweller; OldPossum; DuncanWaring; VirginiaMom; CodeToad; goosie; kalee; ...

Preppers’ PING!!


3 posted on 08/01/2012 10:28:07 PM PDT by Kartographer ("We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.")
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To: blam
The only good news is that there are multiple operators with multiple control systems. It isn't a monolithic control system that can be compromised in a single stroke. Diversity is good when it comes to making it hard to seize control
4 posted on 08/01/2012 10:29:08 PM PDT by Myrddin
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To: blam
I love it when people snark to me how long it will take to pay for itself.


5 posted on 08/01/2012 10:35:14 PM PDT by I see my hands (It's time to.. KICK OUT THE JAMS, MOTHER FREEPERS!)
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To: _Jim

Ping


6 posted on 08/01/2012 10:46:34 PM PDT by null and void (Day 1289 of our ObamaVacation from reality - Heroes aren't made Frank, they're cornered...)
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To: Myrddin

For now.


7 posted on 08/01/2012 10:53:37 PM PDT by MestaMachine (obama kills)
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To: blam

I might take this report more seriously, if the US government itself wasn’t forcing good coal-fired plants to shut down. This will more likely cause major disruptions in the future.


8 posted on 08/01/2012 11:23:41 PM PDT by packrat35 (Admit it! We are almost ready to be called a police state!)
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To: blam

You watch: This will be the false flag operation the regime uses to impose martial law in October and confiscate our guns.


9 posted on 08/01/2012 11:25:39 PM PDT by dagogo redux (A whiff of primitive spirits in the air, harbingers of an impending descent into the feral.)
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To: blam
I live on this peninsula where last year the Leftists attacked the power-line and killed the power because they hate people with money. Security had to be stationed to watch the main power-line.

Last week it rained really hard and turned off the power for a few hours. My neighbor was none-too-happy about that!

video

10 posted on 08/02/2012 12:32:50 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (Siri: USA - ALL THE WAY!)
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To: blam

This is only the tip of the iceberg with regard to our vulnerability.


11 posted on 08/02/2012 1:20:26 AM PDT by The Duke
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To: blam

Neener neener, Texas is on its own grid.


12 posted on 08/02/2012 1:33:16 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (Eric Holder's NAACP rally against the voter ID laws required the press to bring govt issue photo ID.)
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To: Myrddin

“It isn’t a monolithic control system that can be compromised in a single stroke.”

I agree. Keep crying wolf is good job security for someone.


13 posted on 08/02/2012 3:17:22 AM PDT by hadaclueonce (you are paying 12% more for fuel because of Ethanol. Smile big Corn Lobby,)
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To: I see my hands

what is your picture, I’ve never seen it before?
Thanks


14 posted on 08/02/2012 3:24:47 AM PDT by conservativesister
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To: a fool in paradise
Neener neener, Texas is on its own grid.

LOL! That was my first thought too. Maybe we should invest in an extension cord factory (that makes REALLY long cords) to we can make sure all the non-Texas FReepers won't suffer from withdrawals if it all goes 'poof!'

:-)

15 posted on 08/02/2012 3:50:05 AM PDT by MamaTexan (I am a Person as Created by the Laws of Nature, not a person as created by the laws of Man)
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To: MamaTexan

We are not being protected.


16 posted on 08/02/2012 4:41:21 AM PDT by mountaineer1997
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To: mountaineer1997
We are not being protected.

Of course we aren't.

The feds regulating crap to the Nth degree (thus preventing anyone from doing anything constructive) then using the situation it, itself created as an excuse to scream 'crisis' is how they gain power.

17 posted on 08/02/2012 5:30:23 AM PDT by MamaTexan (I am a Person as Created by the Laws of Nature, not a person as created by the laws of Man)
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To: blam
Electric companies who couldn't care less about spending more on security.

A few years ago, long after 9/11, our eclectric company decided to take down the fences around substations... you know, chain link fences that you can see through and notice if someone was in there... and build tall brick walls around them so someone messing around the equipment could do so without anyone being the wiser.

18 posted on 08/02/2012 5:38:05 AM PDT by bgill
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To: blam

Government admits what every intelligent person already knew.


19 posted on 08/02/2012 6:06:30 AM PDT by Iron Munro ("Jiggle the Handle for Barry!")
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To: a fool in paradise
Texas is on its own grid.

Yep

20 posted on 08/02/2012 6:25:09 AM PDT by Texas Fossil (Government, even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one)
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