Hackers Try to Infiltrate U.S. Power Grid Hundreds of Times
Daily
The Washington Post has reported that hackers have tried -- hundreds of
times a day -- to tap into computer networks controlling the U.S. power grid.
Although hackers so far have not caused serious damage to the grid, FERC
Chairman Pat Wood has raised the issue publicly and cautioned top
electric-company executives at a private meeting earlier this year to improve
cyber-security. Fears that terrorists might seek to wage a cyber-attack on the
U.S. power grid have escalated.
When asked of his reaction after witnessing a simulated hacker attack at the
U.S. Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory, Wood responded by stating
"I wished I'd had a diaper on."
According to the article, the U.S. grid has become more vulnerable to attack
since electric utilities transferred control of generation and distribution
equipment to "supervisory control and data acquisition" (SCADA)
systems that are accessible via the Internet or telephone lines.