Viruses and Worms in Our Electrical Grid - Is Energy Software Safe from Hackers?
Okay so, we've heard a lot of senators, pentagon officials, and even the President of the United States talk about the importance of IT security.
And, yes, there are hundreds of billions of dollars worth of IT contracts out there for companies who can make us safe.
Some of that PR, and Chicken Little "The Sky Is Falling," routine is all about convincing the public that it's okay for the government to spend money on such things.
Many believe the risk is not as real as they think, but in some cases it might be, and it's something we need to consider.
I doubt very much if anyone in the US would forgive the government if the entire electrical system and energy grid went down for weeks on end.
And so I ask you how safe is our electrical grid from energy software hackers, computer viruses, or worse computer worms? It may not be as safe as we've been led to believe, at least not in all cases.
If you are not concerned yet, perhaps you should be.
There was a rather troubling set of comments recently on SlashDot on June 18, 2011 where "Soulskill" posted a piece of information he titled; "From the not-for-use-in-nuclear-reactors-at-home-department," where he quotes "alphadogg" who recently stated: "Two vulnerabilities found in industrial control system software made in China, used worldwide, could be remotely exploited by attackers, according to a report.
The problems found in two products from a Beijing-based company that develops SCADA software for a variety of industries, including defense, petrochemical, energy, water and manufacturing.
The products are mostly used in China but also in Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Africa, according to the agency's advisory.
" The report was by US Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team and can be found by searching its title online; ICS-CERT ADVISORY, ICSA-11-167-01-Heap Overflow vulnerabilities in Sunway ForceControl and PnetPower (June 16, 2011).
Luckily, most of the exposure to such challenges are not in the United States, but they are with many of our allies, therefore we are involved in anything that comes about.
In some cases we may have a problem here the United States, and therefore it appears that our government IT teams have more work to do to protect the American people, and make sure that our energy is reliable and constant.
Viruses and worms in our electrical grid are no laughing matter.
If the electricity goes out it is serious business, and hardly matters if it is from a natural disaster, or a cyber attack Pearl Harbor.
Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.
And, yes, there are hundreds of billions of dollars worth of IT contracts out there for companies who can make us safe.
Some of that PR, and Chicken Little "The Sky Is Falling," routine is all about convincing the public that it's okay for the government to spend money on such things.
Many believe the risk is not as real as they think, but in some cases it might be, and it's something we need to consider.
I doubt very much if anyone in the US would forgive the government if the entire electrical system and energy grid went down for weeks on end.
And so I ask you how safe is our electrical grid from energy software hackers, computer viruses, or worse computer worms? It may not be as safe as we've been led to believe, at least not in all cases.
If you are not concerned yet, perhaps you should be.
There was a rather troubling set of comments recently on SlashDot on June 18, 2011 where "Soulskill" posted a piece of information he titled; "From the not-for-use-in-nuclear-reactors-at-home-department," where he quotes "alphadogg" who recently stated: "Two vulnerabilities found in industrial control system software made in China, used worldwide, could be remotely exploited by attackers, according to a report.
The problems found in two products from a Beijing-based company that develops SCADA software for a variety of industries, including defense, petrochemical, energy, water and manufacturing.
The products are mostly used in China but also in Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Africa, according to the agency's advisory.
" The report was by US Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team and can be found by searching its title online; ICS-CERT ADVISORY, ICSA-11-167-01-Heap Overflow vulnerabilities in Sunway ForceControl and PnetPower (June 16, 2011).
Luckily, most of the exposure to such challenges are not in the United States, but they are with many of our allies, therefore we are involved in anything that comes about.
In some cases we may have a problem here the United States, and therefore it appears that our government IT teams have more work to do to protect the American people, and make sure that our energy is reliable and constant.
Viruses and worms in our electrical grid are no laughing matter.
If the electricity goes out it is serious business, and hardly matters if it is from a natural disaster, or a cyber attack Pearl Harbor.
Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.
Source...