U.S. electrical grid probed but not yet attacked, says paper

[The Straight Story]

U.S. electrical grid probed but not yet attacked, says paper

Evidence suggests that "unknown foreign entities" have probed computer networks controlling the U.S. electrical grid, which would become a target during a cyber attack, according to a paper from the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Electrical power systems have long been targets, writes James Andrew Lewis, director of CSIS's Technology and Public Policy Program. But, now that Internet protocol commercial systems run the electrical grid, they can be a low cost target made from a long range, Lewis writes.

Back in 2007, testers from the Idaho National Labs--in what's been called the Aurora Generator Test--staged a hacking experiment in which they remotely changed the operating cycle of a generator, causing it to fail and emit smoke, Lewis notes.

However, despite likely foreign probes of the power grid, it's unlikely that foreign powers have left behind a cyber time bomb ready for activation on command, Lewis says.

Read more: http://www.fiercegovernmentit.com/story/u-s-electrical-grid-probed-not-yet-attacked-says-paper/2010-03-24#ixzz0jGMlcpma


Read more: http://www.fiercegovernmentit.com/story/u-s-electrical-grid-probed-not-yet-attacked-says-paper/2010-03-24#ixzz0jGMhqkO4

[bananas]

1. k&r

and tempted to make a joke about being probed by aliens.

[drm604]

2. Critical infrastructure probably should not be controlled via a public network.

Can someone knowledgeable about this explain why it's done over the internet? I assume it's cheaper which, at least to my mind, isn't a good reason.

Obviously the electric grid wasn't always controlled this way.