Freedom Outpost
by Joshua Cook
It's the most fragile part of our infrastructure. The power grid. Could the nation's power grid withstand physical and cyber attacks?
A report published on the technology website Ars Technica says that one power company received an incredible 10,000 attempted cyber attacks per month.
U.S. Reps. Edward Markey (D-MA) and Henry Waxman (D-CA) sent 15 questions to more than 150 utilities and received replies from 112 of them. Only 53 utilities responded to all of the questions, and their answers will shock you.
More than a dozen utilities reported "daily," "constant," or "frequent" attempted cyber attacks ranging from phishing to malware infection to unfriendly probes. A Midwestern power provider said that it was "subject to ongoing malicious cyber and physical activity. For example, we see probes on our network to look for vulnerabilities in our systems and applications on a daily basis. Much of this activity is automated and dynamic in nature—able to adapt to what is discovered during its probing process."
How can we make sure those attempts aren't successful?
According to the New York Times, that hair-raising, nerve-wracking question will be put to the test in November when a full-scale drill takes place, testing our preparedness.
Thousands of utility workers, business executives, National Guard officers, FBI anti-terrorism experts and other government officials here and in Canada and Mexico will participate in the drill that will simulate both physical and cyber attacks that could potentially cripple large sections of the power grid.
This is what our inside source was told when he asked a compliance officer at a large power company about this drill in November.
Reposted with permission.
Read more about Are You Ready For A Complete Power Grid Blackout?
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