Chinese, Russian cyberspies have penetrated the U.S. electrical power grid?!

http://russiatoday.com/Top_News/2009-04-09/Chinese__Russians_suspected_of_spy...

Chinese, Russians suspected of spying on US
09 April, 2009, 12:40

The Wall Street Journal reports that cyberspies have penetrated the U.S. electrical grid, and left behind software that could be used to disrupt the whole system.


Citing current and former U.S. national-security officials, the report says Chinese and Russian secret agents are believed to be to blame. Its alleged they were on a on a mission to navigate the U.S. electrical system and its controls.


The article says the intruders haven't sought to disrupt the power grid, but during a crisis or war, they could try to do so, resulting in a huge blackout.

Protecting the electrical grid is a key part of the Obama administration's cybersecurity review, which is supposed to come out next week. The daily referring to "people familiar with the budget" writes that under the George W. Bush administration, Congress approved $17 billion (US) in secret funds to protect government networks.


Read more

The new administration is considering whether to expand this program when it comes to private computer networks.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told reporters that the power grid was vulnerable to potentially disabling computer attacks. However, she refused to comment on whether or not an intrusion had taken place.

Meanwhile, its not the first time the U.S. has suspected the Chinese and Russians of attacking it in cyber space.

An official speaking anonymously to Reuters said its the Chinese who have been really active lately. The source is quoted as saying:

"They are all over the placeThey're getting into university systems, contractor systems, hacking government systems. There's no reason to think that the electrical system would be immune."

But many doubt its likely that China would want to disrupt the US electrical system since the Asian country holds the majority of American government debt, and relies on US consumers for much of its business.

As for Russia, it looks as though any time the U.S. speaks of espionage, Moscow comes into the spotlight.

The Journal writes that Russian and Chinese officials have denied any wrongdoing. It quotes Yevgeniy Khorishko, a spokesman at the Russian Embassy, as saying: "These are pure speculations. Russia has nothing to do with the cyberattacks on the U.S. infrastructure, or on any infrastructure in any other country in the world."

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• China
• Russia
• US
• cyberspy

[blackghost10sg]

Russian reporters are really cute. Dina is real hottie! haha! watch news from her every morning would make my day for sure!!!

[cctvupload]

Yes, she is cute and with brain, too!

She is shining with her geopolitic knowledge and asking all the right questions when she interview the political figures. She is sharp and a true world-class reporter.

Compared with Dina, Wu Hanying, the CCTV-9 reporter at Washington DC, is a little girl in elementary school. Wu is good looking and that's about all she got.

[cheddyrod]

The cyberspies have penetrated the US power grid. The cyberspies are not Chinese or Russians. They are Americans who work for NSA and CIA. They did it to allow the American law makers to pass more draconian laws against their own citizens. Obama could not find his own ass if had both of his hands in his back pockets.

[RussianTopFighter]

THIS IS ONE OF THE cia DIRTY WORK. CIA IS FULL OF JEWS WHO ARE CAPABLE OF STIRING THINGS UP LIKE THIS.

CIA SAID THE SAME THING ABOUT IRAQ WMD AND EVEN SHOWS SATELITE PICTURES TO FOOLED AMERICUNTS. AND MADE AMERICUNTS DIE IN IRAQ. BOMBED ISRAEL NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TheChristianRight09]

If you mess with Bull ,you get the Horns....

Moral of the story,don't mess with the Bull...

[cheddyrod]

@njdevil281 Prove it!

[njdevil281]

@cheddyrod He found Osama, hows that?

[jbperez808]

Ah now the reporter towards the end explains why they would want to penetrate the electrical grid system and put their software in it.

This is so that they can go in and fix it themselves if the american administrators screw up the works. ;-)

[blackghost10sg]

ok, good for her, both of them. lol!

[OrionSyndicate]

CANADA and AUSTRALIA???

LEICHTENSTEIN AND MALTA?

[cctvupload]

Dina probably is the best female reporter that Russia Today got. She is smart, sharp and very knowledgable in geopolitics.