I think that a lot of people don't know what to think of this,as far as the seriousness of it. Obama's 'Cyber Security Review' will play a pivotal role as far as the where we go from here. This is really the first time that the country has ever had to worry about this type of threat so it should be interesting to see how it goes. Here's a video looking at how some media outlets perceive the seriousness of the matter:
http://www.newsy.com/videos/u_s_power_grid_hacked/
National security threat
This is a very serious threat. If hackers implanted software into the systems that can be used to disrupt electricity in the US is a huge national security threat. This has happened in other countries when hackers had broken into electric utilities and demanded payments before disrupting power
BoogeyMan?
While it is plausible, the story has more than a whiff of bogus. (1) There is "the sky is falling" hype, which sounds more like a plot line for 24 than serious analysis. (2) The source (s ?) are unamed. (3) There is no factual evidence of this having occured. (4) The take-down scneario assumes the attackers have a degree of inter-grid operational knowledge that even the grid operators probably do not have. (5) Under what scenario would an attacker benefit from a grid take down? Why would the Russians or the Chinese want to do this?
Power Grid
Since the WSJ is now owned by Rupert Murdoch, I don't believe anything they have to say. Murdoch is a neo-nazi's neo-nazi! As folks at GM and elsewhere have said: "War is good for business!"
Wolf! Wolf!
@BoogeyMan is on the money. This is just hype, and a terrible story.
I work for a company that *operates* the power grid for one part of the country. Our systems are NOT online or even connected to the web! The idea that hackers can break into our systems and take over the grid are ridiculous. You can't even get to the systems because there is literally no physical cable connecting the part of the system that runs the grid to the rest of the company's network.
Hummmm.....Is it hype?
"There is literally no physical cable connect the part of the system that runs the grid", but I would offer that you have power running to that system. Please review: http://www.networkworld.com/newsletters/lans/2006/1030lan2.html
While you and the "BoogeyMan" see this event as a likely spoof, the fact of the matter is there is more than one way to touch your systems, without the need for CatV, ISDN or Fiber. Just food for thought. For those who question why some other country would want to do this, all I can say is, you have to be kidding!! State sponsored espionage and terrorism are indeed a FACT. The means by which this is accomplished are many. From the good ole fashioned person-on-person approach, to technologies that many don't even know about or consider possible/plausible.
Forget the Russian or KGB,
Forget the Russian or KGB, the people who are really spying or trying to damage the US is mossad, and pin it on Iran.
Who's doing it to who?
Attribution, while politically necessary is also from a practical standpoint unneccessary. The real heart of the matter is (1) is this threat real, (2) can the threat be mitigated if found to be real?
The sky is falling, the sky is falling!!!!!!!!!
I manage and secure the network my company's grid control systems live on and I can tell you with certainty that there is no direct interconnection between our control systems and any other network. There's not even access to or from our corporate network. I will never say my network is 100% bullet proof only because keeping it secure is an ever present, continous job. When the night arrives that security thoughts and issues don't run through my mind, I will know it's time to look for another job. There is no room for complacency in this business. I will also tell you that with over a decade of insider knowledge with my company and practically having "keys to the kingdom" in my possession, it would be extremely difficult for me to cause more than a minor, temporary outage in our control area. There is simply much more involved than involking an imaginary "Blackout Country" command that some seem to think exist in grid control systems. I don't buy the WSJ article any more than I would an article stating our national infrastructure was untouchable by evil doers.
This is scare mongering to drum up IT consulting business......
The same CONsultants who drained the public utilities of millions via the Y2K hoax are at it again. They want us to believe that hackers will burrow their way through firewalls, compromise telco circuits, or plant malware to ---- execute commands on Supervisory Control Systems to interrupt power.
HELLO--- The bulk power system stations are unmanned and the lines spread out across the countryside. Multiple line towers toppled at the peak load period WILL cause severe/long term blackouts as the systems are not operated taking into account greater than two failure contingencies. A deer rifle could be used to destroy bulk power station transformers that will take MONTHS TO REPLACE BECAUSE the US has allowed foreign competitors to drive domestic manufactureres out of business.
It is an outrage that the hacks at the WSJ allow themselves to be manipulated just to sell more firewalls and applicances while legitimate security concerns related to the loss of domestic manufacturing are ignored.
The Sky s Falling, the Sky is Falling!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Very careful selection of word, adjective, and verb. Specify "Direct" or "Indirect" as you wish doesn't avert that extended blackouts do already presently as we speak occur every year. A tree limb is always blamed "directly" or "indirectly". Shut your eyes "wide open". If you don't see it, it doesn't happen.A swinging BFPT at First Energy, an extended freeze in Oklahoma, failure to trim tree limbs to eliminate the "blame game". Quit playing games. Go to the Smart Grid per Ali Gore/Bama Green Bill HB1 231-232V to assure Islamic Muslim terrorist can gain access to the electrical grid over the internet fron a cave in Islamabad. Hide your head in the sand. Make it easy. Meanwhile, you pay 30% of the cost for rich kid Ali Gore to go solar so his bill doesn't blacken his home.
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