These hacking groups are eyeing power grids, says security company

[livingston]

These hacking groups are eyeing power grids, says security company
Cybersecurity company warns that hackers are investigating industrial control systems associated with power infrastructure
At least three hacking groups have the capability to interfere with or disrupt power grids across the US – and the number of cyber-criminal operations targeting electricity and other utilities is on the rise, according to a new report on the state of industrial control systems.



Cyber security company Dragos said that political and military tensions in the Gulf appear to coincide with a rise in interest in hacking groups targeting electricity grids, power companies and other systems related to utilities in the US.

"The threat landscape focusing on electric utilities in North America is expansive and increasing, led by numerous intrusions into ICS networks for reconnaissance and research purposes and ICS activity groups demonstrating new interest in the electric sector," warned its North American Electric Cyber Threat Perspective report

These hacking groups are eyeing power grids, says security company

Cybersecurity company warns that hackers are investigating industrial control systems associated with power infrastructure.

www.zdnet.com

 

[FrankenCub]

I'm honestly surprised that we havent had cyber attacks on our power grid already.

 

[Robin]

California operator of electricity grid fends off millions of cyberattacks each month

Threat of hacks 'our No. 1 risk,' California Independent System Operator's information security chief says

www.sandiegouniontribune.com

SECURITY: Experts assess damage after first cyberattack on U.S. grid

The U.S. power sector marked a sober milestone last week as an anonymous Western utility became the first to report a malicious "cyber event" disrupting grid operations. As details of the attack emerge, experts are divided about the long-term threat to electricity networks.

www.eenews.net

A ‘Cyber Event’ Disrupted the Power Grid in California and Wyoming, But Don’t Panic Just Yet

The Department of Energy says a “cyber event” disrupted operations in California, Wyoming, and Utah last month. But it’s unclear if hackers were behind it.

www.vice.com

They're out there.
Robin

 

[GOPerfect]

This is my biggest fear of the Apocalypse. Is is a real threat.

 

[repete]

This is much more likely to happen than the dreaded EMP.

 

[Carlos Hathcock]

This is my biggest fear of the Apocalypse. Is is a real threat.

Be prepared. No fear.

 

[Drinkthekoolaid]

This is my biggest fear of the Apocalypse. Is is a real threat.

I think it's also one of the most likely scenarios.

If anyone is interested in learning more this is a good book

Amazon.com: Lights Out: A Cyberattack, A Nation Unprepared, Surviving the Aftermath: 9780553419986: Koppel, Ted: Books

Amazon.com: Lights Out: A Cyberattack, A Nation Unprepared, Surviving the Aftermath: 9780553419986: Koppel, Ted: Books

www.amazon.com

 

[FrankenCub]

If done right they could easily set us back decades.

 

[spat]

I'm honestly surprised that we havent had cyber attacks on our power grid already.

We have attacks daily.

What's surprising is that they aren't more successful.

 

[FrankenCub]

We have attacks daily.

What's surprising is that they aren't more successful.

Apparently not publicized either?

 

[spat]

This is my biggest fear of the Apocalypse. Is is a real threat.

A cyberattack would not have the impact of an EMP for the same reason a gun is not as dangerous as a bomb.

A cyberattack would necessarily target a single provider, and would not be able to damage more than a few models of equipment.

A series of coordinated cyberattacks could target more, but the more targets, the harder it would be.

An EMP knocks everything down at once, and wipes out whole classes of equipment.

It's the difference between losing all the model 1234 switches at facilities operated by national grid, and losing all the transformers in the country.

One is limited and there are probably ample spares around to replace them.

The other is universal, the global stockpile of spares wouldn't make a dent, and would take decades of production to replace.

Sure a cyberattack could knock a chunk of the grid down for a few days, but it would be back. An EMP could really be TEOTWAWKI.

 

[spat]

Apparently not publicized either?

You don't hear about every shoplifting incident at Walmart either, doesn't mean they don't happen.

I work for a large ISP. There are so many attacks on our customers that there have to be automated systems to detect and block them.

When I started here attacks on our customers were manually blocked if they got severe enough to degrade our network.

It got to the point where that was no longer practical. We detect and block hundreds every day. And that is just limited to a specific type of attack that can cause issues for the upstream provider.

 

[Drinkthekoolaid]

You don't hear about every shoplifting incident at Walmart either, doesn't mean they don't happen.

I work for a large ISP. There are so many attacks on our customers that there have to be automated systems to detect and block them.

When I started here attacks on our customers were manually blocked if they got severe enough to degrade our network.

It got to the point where that was no longer practical. We detect and block hundreds every day. And that is just limited to a specific type of attack that can cause issues for the upstream provider.

@spat
Have you ever read the book "lights out" by Ted Koppel that I linked above?

If so, what are your thoughts on it?

 

[GOPerfect]

A cyberattack would not have the impact of an EMP for the same reason a gun is not as dangerous as a bomb.

A cyberattack would necessarily target a single provider, and would not be able to damage more than a few models of equipment.

A series of coordinated cyberattacks could target more, but the more targets, the harder it would be.

An EMP knocks everything down at once, and wipes out whole classes of equipment.

It's the difference between losing all the model 1234 switches at facilities operated by national grid, and losing all the transformers in the country.

One is limited and there are probably ample spares around to replace them.

The other is universal, the global stockpile of spares wouldn't make a dent, and would take decades of production to replace.

Sure a cyberattack could knock a chunk of the grid down for a few days, but it would be back. An EMP could really be TEOTWAWKI.

I do not remember the book or the author... I will try to locate it.

Anyway, it was a book about terrorists taking down the grid of the US, piece by piece. Began with little cyber attacks and grew larger as the issue got larger. I want to remember that the "attack" took place over a years period of time.

Slowly but surely, the grid was taken down until the entire grid failed.

 

[spat]

I do not remember the book or the author... I will try to locate it.

Anyway, it was a book about terrorists taking down the grid of the US, piece by piece. Began with little cyber attacks and grew larger as the issue got larger. I want to remember that the "attack" took place over a years period of time.

Slowly but surely, the grid was taken down until the entire grid failed.

That sounds more realistic, it would take a massive number of coordinated attacks.

They would all have to happen *very* quickly though. If the final wave wasn't for a year after the beginning, you can be sure there wouldn't be a connected piece of equipment on it by then.

 

[GOPerfect]

That sounds more realistic, it would take a massive number of coordinated attacks.

They would all have to happen *very* quickly though. If the final wave wasn't for a year after the beginning, you can be sure there wouldn't be a connected piece of equipment on it by then.

I gotta find the book. It was years ago that I read it. Like I say, if I remember correctly, there were attacks day after day after day. Some were cyber and some were physical. Took place over a years time. Good book.

 

[pjzwtl]

I don’t know seems if they hit the right locations during peek use it wouldn’t be to far fetched to set a cascade effect

 

[spat]

@spat
Have you ever read the book "lights out" by Ted Koppel that I linked above?

If so, what are your thoughts on it?

I have not, but it sounds interesting.

 

[GOPerfect]

I have not, but it sounds interesting.

Reads a bit weird, but really good information.

 

[spat]

I don’t know seems if they hit the right locations during peek use it wouldn’t be to far fetched to set a cascade effect

A cascade failure wouldn't be hard to trigger.

Hacking might be more useful just to gather the data on the grid necessary to identify the vulnerabilities than to actually trigger the failure.

But a cascade failure isn't catastrophic, it merely requires them to "reboot" the grid, they would have it back up in a few days. We've seen them happen multiple times, they are hardly SHTF scenarios.

 

[vanderblack]

Taking out the right 2 or 3 stations can knock out power for large sections of the US. In 2003, overgrown trees at a plant in Ohio took out a large section of the North East. Yes, power was restored within a day or two but, large disruptions are possible. Blackout hits Northeast United States

 

[spat]

Taking out the right 2 or 3 stations can knock out power for large sections of the US. In 2003, overgrown trees at a plant in Ohio took out a large section of the North East. Yes, power was restored within a day or two but, large disruptions are possible. Blackout hits Northeast United States

Not even stations. Just transmission lines. Especially if multiple lines were shorted with precision timing.

It wouldn't take anything fancy either, a crossbow and some wire would probably be enough.

Obviously causing catastrophic failure of some large transformers would make for a much more difficult and longer repair, but it doesn't take that much just to cause a cascade failure.

Transmission lines are essentially unsecurable since they stretch for thousands of miles and cross cross the country. Stations and large substations could at least be secured in theory.

 

[Drinkthekoolaid]

Not even stations. Just transmission lines. Especially if multiple lines were shorted with precision timing.

It wouldn't take anything fancy either, a crossbow and some wire would probably be enough.

Obviously causing catastrophic failure of some large transformers would make for a much more difficult and longer repair, but it doesn't take that much just to cause a cascade failure.

Transmission lines are essentially unsecurable since they stretch for thousands of miles and cross cross the country. Stations and large substations could at least be secured in theory.

I'm guessing you're probably familiar with the Metcalf substation attack in San Jose a few years ago

In your opinion how dangerous would that be if carried out simultaneously on maybe 4 or 5 regional major routing substations?

It seems to me at least that it would cause a massive regional cascading failure that would take perhaps weeks to restore.

The individuals who pulled off the Metcalf substation attack demonstrated a significant amount of operational planning and discipline. No reason to think they wouldn't be capable of doing the same thing replicated on a larger scale. (I think there is a chance it was an Iranian sleeper cell beta test)

 

[GOPerfect]

So, the majority of the large transformers are made in China. In 2015 a few companies around the US began to stockpile them in their warehouses. Hit enough of them and replacement times and wait becomes very long.

 

[Steal2B]

So, the majority of the large transformers are made in China. In 2015 a few companies around the US began to stockpile them in their warehouses. Hit enough of them and replacement times and wait becomes very long.

No one is going to stockpile high capacity transformers. Clinton changed laws / regulations making inventory as such taxable every year it sits in inventory with congress unwilling to revise this mistake. As such, utlities chip in and share spares, for emergencies or rotating PMs.

 

[Steal2B]

Fortunately much of our antiquated grid is less digital than the horror novels, so widespread outages from cyber attacks are less likely than advertised. Until efforts are in place to harden "digital progress" modifications that were installed, however, there are real localized threats.

 

[GOPerfect]

No one is going to stockpile high capacity transformers. Clinton changed laws / regulations making inventory as such taxable every year it sits in inventory with congress unwilling to revise this mistake. As such, utlities chip in and share spares, for emergencies or rotating PMs.

Couple of years old, but they did stock up...

GRID: Power companies to create stockpile of transformers to counter attacks or natural disasters

Eight electric power and energy companies have agreed to create a national stockpile of spare transformers and other essential grid equipment that could be deployed to help parts of the high-voltage transmission network recover from cyber and physical attacks, extreme weather and other natural...

www.eenews.net

 

[GOPerfect]

Utilities join grid recovery initiative to stockpile transmission equipment

Grid Assurance has lined up six major utilities, including American Electric Power and two Berkshire Hathaway Energy subsidiaries, to its initiative to speed recovery in case of cyber or physical grid attack.

www.utilitydive.com

 

[Steal2B]

Couple of years old, but they did stock up...

GRID: Power companies to create stockpile of transformers to counter attacks or natural disasters

Eight electric power and energy companies have agreed to create a national stockpile of spare transformers and other essential grid equipment that could be deployed to help parts of the high-voltage transmission network recover from cyber and physical attacks, extreme weather and other natural...

www.eenews.net

This "stockpiling" is one of a few sharing agreements or "owners groups" and spares only cover a minor fraction of the units in service. I was involved in a number of these agreements and even had to testify under oath for multiple service providers about electrical utility reliability.

 

[GOPerfect]

This "stockpiling" is one of a few sharing agreements or "owners groups" and spares only cover a minor fraction of the units in service. I was involved in a number of these agreements and even had to testify under oath for multiple service providers about electrical utility reliability.

Okay.