Power Sellers Unite

cohibastore.com · Joined: 14 Sep 2006 Posts: 4908

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/checkpoint-washington/post/foreign-hackers-broke-into-illinois-water-plant-control-system-industry-expert-says/2011/11/18/gIQAgmTZYN_blog.html

Foreign hackers targeted U.S. water plant in apparent malicious cyber attack, expert says

Foreign hackers caused a pump at an Illinois water plant to fail last week, according to a preliminary state report. Experts said the cyber-attack, if confirmed, would be the first known to have damaged one of the systems that supply Americans with water, electricity and other essentials of modern life.

So I have to ask, why are these system connected to the internet at all?

elgato · Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 17240 Location: Texas

Thanks to everything being computerized now a days this doesn't surprise me.
Wasn't it China and Russia a couple of years ago who gained access/hacked into most or our U.S. overhead coverage of space and electrical grids?
They can also access most emails, text messaging, etc....Computers are nice and easy to use but MIGHT be the downfall of our country.

I know local folks who do not own PC's or cell phones.
More of my friends are doing away with their PC's and merely using their blackberry's, etc for communicating.

What happens when the grids for these toys is taken over and shut down??? Might be a good idea to keep the ole home phone working or merely walking down the road to chat.
Kind of like they did many years ago...The more technology we create, the more strangers can gain access to our personal information IMHO.

elpereles · Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 1478 Location: Puerto Rico

cohibastore.com, some companies have their private networks, but the problem is that always one computer is connected to Internet the big door for hackers.

Also some modern/technological companies have subcontract employees or employees that work from home or other places far beyond.

luckyalive · Joined: 27 Apr 2008 Posts: 589

I'd be more worried by exploding a couple nuclear weapons in the atmosphere to send out an electrical impulse. It will fry all computers and all electrical equipment such as the power grid, cars, computers, planes, farm equipment, oil refineries, and a millions of other things - and not just locally over the entire country. The only things not effected would be devises that specifically shielded against such things. The entire country in total chaos with rioting for food and other resources.

cohibastore.com · Joined: 14 Sep 2006 Posts: 4908

elpereles wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")cohibastore.com, some companies have their private networks, but the problem is that always one computer is connected to Internet the big door for hackers.

Also some modern/technological companies have subcontract employees or employees that work from home or other places far beyond.

I recognize this, but there is absolutely no reason any of this critical infrastructure should accessible via the web, no reason it shouldn't be on its own private network and no reason it shouldn't be quintuple encrypted. I read almost twice a year about some child sex/porn ring using encryption that took years to break, or required a inside guy to break it, and these idiots have motor controls on the web!!!

luckyalive wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")I'd be more worried by exploding a couple nuclear weapons in the atmosphere to send out an electrical impulse..

Bomb origins like that are traceable and invite retaliation.

Cyber attacks of this nature are incredibly hard to trace. Just like the country that drove up oil prices and screwed the economy, its a non-violent attack that's likely to be ignored or down played by our idiot politicians until its too late, and we're all in the dark in February freezing our butts off while the Chinese or Iranians are laughing off theirs.

elpereles · Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 1478 Location: Puerto Rico

cohibastore.com, in my opinion. After what you said. It is easy. The water plant isn't using money to have or contract a decent security IT Network team like Porn Sites.