National Power Grid suffers frequent cyberattacks, says report

[Reefa]

The US national power grid is subject to physical or online attacks around once every four days, a report by USA Today reveals.

The examination, undertaken in collaboration with newspapers and TV stations around the country drew on “thousands of pages of government records, federal energy data and a survey of more than 50 electric utilities.”

It found that more than once a week, the security mechanisms designed to protect Americans from power outages are affected by attacks, and less severe ones happen more frequently still.

In fact, between 2011 and 2014, the US Department of Energy received 362 reports of physical or cyberattacks interrupting power services. Worse still, according to Time, the trend shows the attacks are getting more frequent, with just 31 reported in 2011, rising to 161 in 2013.

IT Pro Portal reports that there are “growing fears” that terrorists groups could be responsible for attempts to hack into the power grids. They also speculate that organized criminal gangs could use the threat of power outages to hold major cities to ransom.

Darren Hammell, chief strategy officer at energy management firm Princeton Power Systems told Fox News that the power grid remains “very vulnerable,” and that the country should be prepared for more.

Cheryl LaFleur, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman explained to USA Today how seriously the industry is taking the threats facing the industry: “It’s one of those things: One is too many, so that’s why we have to pay attention.”

“The threats continue to evolve, and we have to continue to evolve as well.”

http://www.welivesecurity.com/2015/04/10/national-power-grid-suffers-frequent-cyberattacks-says-report/ 

[jtmulc]

Not surprising. The whole thing is barely held together with spit and bailing wire.

[humble3d]

Washington, D.C., Including the White House, Hit by Power Outages

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/washington-d-c-including-white-house-hit-power-outages-reports-n337306

[Enigmatism]

These power plants RARELY have a connection to the public Internet thus making it impossible for them to be hacked by outside forces. This story is designed for those who don't know that these power plants can't be hacked by outside forces so easily; these "gangs" and "terrorists" groups would need access to the facility and computer mainframe to do this sort of thing. The fact that these outages are being blamed on terrorists tells me that this story is nothing more than preparations to bring us to our knees.

Go ask your local power plant operators if their power grid is connected into the Internet, I dare you. After they tell you "no" then come back to this story and think about it.

Wired magazine exposed this as well stating that, "To start, these systems are rarely connected directly to the public internet. And that makes gaining access to grid-controlling networks a challenge for all but the most dedicated, motivated and skilled — nation-states, in other words."

In the case of the Iran hack (Stuxnet) on the nuclear power facility, an infected USB device was tossed on the premisis of the facility and picked up by a worker who brought it into his work place and used it on the computer system there. It takes something more than just an outside threat to take down a power plant.

Unless the terrorists are using new methods which would be unknown to hack a grid that is not connected to the public Internet, it's virtually impossible to hack a power plant.

Darren Hammell, chief strategy officer at energy management firm Princeton Power Systems told Fox News that the power grid remains “very vulnerable,” and that the country should be prepared for more.

Oh Im sure there will be, but not because of random hackers and a flawed security device which they NEVER tell you "what" it is that keeps us safe. This is planned and on purpose.

[humble3d]

Americans, especially, will feel the pain as the nation's infrastructure

collapses and help is no where to save them...

It will really be a very rude awakening and human nature

shows us what will follow...