What A U.S. Electric Grid Attack Looks Like

 

If the nation lost electricity, it would cause an instant and lethal paralysis that would go beyond inconvenience of the kind parts of New England have just experienced—and which left me charging my cell phone in my car.

Nonetheless, limited and scattered blackouts of the kind I have been caught in are a reminder of what alarmists (though unsettling, they’re not always wrong) have been warning. If there is no electricity, there is no light, no water, no sewage, no gas and diesel, no heating and cooling—even gas and oil systems rely on electric pumps and fans. If such a blackout were sustained, slow death through starvation, or fast death through disease and armed gangs ravaging the cities and towns for food, would be the result.

US state officials worry about their ability to respond to cyberattacks

States are having trouble recruiting top cybersecurity workers, lawmakers are told

Many states aren’t confident of their ability to respond to cyberattacks on physical infrastructure such as water and electric systems, U.S. emergency response officials say.

The U.S. government could do several things to help states improve their response to cyberattacks, including increased funding for technology training programs, cybersecurity experts told a House of Representatives committee Tuesday.

Cybercom sounds alarm on infrastructure attacks

The commander of the U.S. Cyber Command warned Congress this week that Russia and China now can launch crippling cyberattacks on the electric grid and other critical infrastructures.

“We remain vigilant in preparing for future threats, as cyberattacks could cause catastrophic damage to portions of our power grid, communications networks and vital services,” Adm. Mike Rogers, the Cyber Command chief, told a Senate hearing. “Damaging attacks have already occurred in Europe,” he stated, noting suspected Russian cyberattacks that temporarily turned out the lights in portions of Ukraine.

Adm. Rogers said that unlike other areas of military competition, Russia is equal to the United States in terms its cyberwarfare capabilities, with China a close second.

Air Force warns of ‘coordinated physical attacks’ on electric grid

Electromagnetic pulse attacks on the energy grid, a topic that used to prompt eye-rolling in Washington, is now a top concern for the U.S. Air Force.

FBI warn ISIL hackers plan local blackouts in U.S. power grid

There doesn’t even need to be any hackers involved. Nine substations being taken out will send America back into the stone ages and claim upwards of 9 out of 10 American lives. That’s how safe the U.S. electrical grid is. The electrical grid in central California has already been attacked with sniper rifles in what’s likely a dry run. It was reported an entire year later after the incident, then whitewashed as a non-threat.

As for the rest of the infrastructure, control of SCADAs is key — something China and Russia likely can manipulate. From there, sewage systems could be forced to flood the streets and medication dosages for the sick and elderly could be manipulated.

 

The terror group’s hackers have attempted cyberattacks in the U.S., but aren’t skilled enough to succeed, the FBI said. Still, though, ISIL may have the cash to fund cyberattacks on U.S. targets.

“Strong intent. Thankfully, low capability,” John Riggi, a section chief in the FBI’s cyber division, told CNN. “But the concern is that they’ll buy that capability.”

Taking Cybersecurity Seriously — Former government officials warn against complacency on the cyber front

Chinese hackers “bombard” the Pentagon’s computer systems “by the millions each and every day” searching for a point of entry into the sensitive U.S. computing systems, according to officials speaking at an event on cybersecurity on Tuesday.

Former Attorney General Michael Mukasey and other high-level former U.S. officials warned during a discussion at The American Center for Democracy (ACD) that the U.S. government is woefully underprepared to combat and repel even the most benign type of cyber attack.