Thread: Cyber Spies & U.S. Electrical Grid

I'm not even sure if these reports from mainstream media are "for real" or if they're just tactics to induce fear and worry among the American population anymore. But latest and greatest news from CBS is this:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/04/ ... 8223.shtml


Spies Penetrate U.S. Electrical Grid
National Security Officials Say System Is Under Attack From Russian And Chinese Cyber Spies
Comments 66
April 8, 2009

(CBS/ AP) The U.S. electrical grid is under attack from Russian and Chinese cyber spies who have inserted software that could disrupt the system, current and former national security officials tell the Wall Street Journal.

So far, these spies have not tried to damage the system, but the possibility remains likely should a war or national security crisis hit the United States, the officials said.

"The Chinese have attempted to map our infrastructure, such as the electrical grid," a senior intelligence official told the newspaper. "So have the Russians."

In addition to electrical systems, nuclear power plants and financial networks; water and sewage systems are also at risk, officials said.

"There are intrusions, and they are growing. There were a lot last year," a former Homeland Security official told the newspaper.

The report follows a Pentagon announcement Tuesday which showed more than $100 million was spent in the last six months responding to and repairing damage from cyber attacks and other computer network problems, military leaders said.

Air Force Gen. Kevin Chilton, who heads U.S. Strategic Command, said the military is only beginning to track the costs, which are triggered by constant daily attacks against military networks ranging from the Pentagon to bases around the country.

"The important thing is that we recognize that we are under assault from the least sophisticated - what I would say the bored teenager - all the way up to the sophisticated nation-state, with some pretty criminal elements sandwiched in-between," said Chilton, adding that the motivations include everything from vandalism to espionage. "This is indeed our big challenge, as we think about how to defend it."

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Home generators, anyone?

And keep a supply of batteries for the flashlights?

Probably just the excuse they need to get that new grid going so they can ration our energy usage.

This is an act of war.

And has the Pentagon assessed how many American men, women, children, and babies could be turned into the walking dead by a chemical or biological weapons attack from China using contaminated imports as the delivery vehicle?

Each day, our mouths open and swallow imports from China as do our babies and pets. If China places a weapons agent into the products designed to take us down with delayed reaction, how many of us would be killed? Tens of millions?

Just like an ant bait poison.

Wise up and wake up America! China is our enemy.

W

This is an act of war.

You would think.....in my opinion so is climbing over fences, using a torch to cut through our barriers etc. I mean what more do our enemies have to do in order for something to be taken seriously? The fact they haven't seemed to take it that seriously, leads me to believe it's just the excuse they need to infringe more on our rights, than stop people from hurting us.
I mean they've hacked into the pentagon and who knows what all.....but yet they're our "partners".

Saw this on CNN this morning, and I am not surprised the Russians and Chinese have done this. Afterall, 15-year-old hackers sitting in England have been able to scribble all over the CIA and Pentagon websites. If our government computers are not safe, why should we believe the electrical grid, controlled by profit-making utility companies, be any safer? They prefer to keep stockholders happy instead of worrying much about national security.
FPL has had some interesting problems with its Turkey Point nuclear plant outside Homestead:

FPL pays fine for guards sleeping on job
BY JOHN DORSCHNER
jdorschner@MiamiHerald.com
More than two years after a federal investigation found that guards were sleeping on the job at Florida Power & Light's Turkey Point nuclear plant, the utility has paid a six-figure fine to resolve the case.

FPL sent the Nuclear Regulatory Commission a check for $130,000 in January, the commission confirmed Monday.

FPL spokesman Tom Veenstra confirmed late Monday that the company had paid the fine.

Six guards at the Miami-Dade County plant slept or served as lookouts for other guards who were sleeping ''on multiple occasions'' between 2004 and 2006, the commission concluded.

All of the guards were contractors with Palm Beach Gardens-based Wackenhut. None remained on the job after the violations were announced last year, officials said.

And first responders would be six park rangers, classified as one of the most dangerous jobs in the state.