Staged cyber attack reveals vulnerability in power grid

http://frgdr.com/blog/

From CNN's Jeanne Meserve

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Researchers who launched an experimental cyber attack caused a generator to self-destruct, alarming the federal government and electrical industry about what might happen if such an attack were carried out on a larger scale, CNN has learned.

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/US/09/26/...

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  News & Politics

[fietspomp1]

It's not that hard to hack your way into a synchronizing system of a genset (MPTM multiple parallel to mains system) I monitor some gensets from here (comap or deapsea controllers) and to connect from the internet to these controllers for the first time I didn't even have to consult the manual....

Once youre in, and you know something about synchronizing systems it's all to easy to destroy the engine/generator coupling or the entire engine, so this video doesen't surprise me.

[John Gwinner]

Not true, they hacked this machine with nothing more than knowing the name of the company / DNS name, and the fact that the control systems were connected to the Internet.

No firewall codes were needed.

== John ==

[jptriskelion1]

have you ever heard of the chinese?

[jptriskelion1]

omg white smoke! a new pope!

[MCBackDraft1]

There's no reason for a diesel genset to be hooked up to the internet. Industrial networks should be local only and internet connected computers should have no access to the plant network. It's pure stupidity otherwise. And sure a virus or a cyber attack could be launched from within but that's equivalent to a worker going over and shoving a wrench in the shaft, there's nothing you can do about that. Don't make it easy.

[CatchMyThrowingKnife]

Wat is firewall code how do Ii get one?

[CazK88]

Any number of things can happen. The initiator could cause the electric grid to spin out of control, could cause the generator to overheat, could potentially shut down the generator...there are many things a hacker can do should they get the access. The problem here is that it will take more than just a stand-by technician to come and fix the problem. It involves buying parts and/or replacing the entire system. All the while, the enemy makes the country vulnerable to conventional attack.

[11DanTheMan111]

What exactly is happening to the generator in the vid? It looks like the engine is running and they are engaging/disengaging the generator from stop and bashing the gears?

[Iván Casas Tarín]

Si estuviese instalado el avg free, se podría haber evitado...

If it were installed avg free, could have been avoided ...

[Tungsten23]

What happened to the good old days back when generators did have computers and couldn't be hacked while using facebook.

Seriously its a fcking generator why hook it up to the internet?

[WirelessFreeZone]

Smart Meters, replacing analog electric meters, connect wirelessly and transmit customer data via Verizon's cellular system. You will be able to view your electrical usage on the internet. Who else will be able to not only view my usage, but what else can they do?

Former CIA Director James Woolsey (video on my youtube page) is so concerned about cyber attacks in an interview he did recently he referred to the lack of vulnerabilities of the Smart Grid as a really really stupid grid.