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Software Update Shuts Down Nuclear Power Plant

Posted by Soulskill on from the we-have-safety-systems-because-we-are-very-stupid dept.

Garabito writes "Hatch Nuclear Power Plant near Baxley, Georgia was forced into a 48-hour emergency shutdown when a computer on the plant's business network was rebooted after an engineer installed a software update. The Washington Post reports, 'The computer in question was used to monitor chemical and diagnostic data from one of the facility's primary control systems, and the software update was designed to synchronize data on both systems. According to a report filed with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, when the updated computer rebooted, it reset the data on the control system, causing safety systems to errantly interpret the lack of data as a drop in water reservoirs that cool the plant's radioactive nuclear fuel rods. As a result, automated safety systems at the plant triggered a shutdown.' Personally, I don't think letting devices on a critical control system accept data values from the business network is a good idea."

10 of 355 comments (clear)

  1. Wow that is so funny by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Maybe nuclear power isn't a better choice.

  2. :O by Trukutu · · Score: -1, Troll

    Scary!

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    1010011010
  3. One begs the question by jo42 · · Score: 0, Troll

    Was it running a Microsoft by-product or not?

    1. Re:One begs the question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

      Sure, it's not like it matters if we just chop and change the language to suit ourselves. It's not like we all agreed on meanings in order to communicate specific ideas.

      From now on, I'm going to refer to my monitor as a CPU, and my computer as a hard drive. No need to be so pedantic, right?

      Moron.

    2. Re:One begs the question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

      Oh just fuck off cunt!

  4. analogy and reality. by twitter · · Score: -1, Troll

    Computers are no a good choice because Windows sucks and M$ won't die. Hmmm, looks like that was what was wrong with the plant too.

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    Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.

    1. Re:analogy and reality. by westbake · · Score: -1, Troll

      It's amazing how operators tollerated crappy DOS based SCDA systems in some plants. These things should be hunted down with spears and removed. No one should be able to reset a 4GW themral reactor at a $1 million/day through a someone's spamed out W2K desktop or a telephone modem. Un-Fucking-Believable.

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      I am a name troll of Westlake. Visit my homepage to learn why.
    2. Re:analogy and reality. by D'Sphitz · · Score: -1, Troll

      Who cares? He's not trolling, he's posting relevant and often insightful responses so why are you so angry? He's getting a rise out of an awful lot of people around here, and probably enjoying every second of it.

  5. Re:Obama is the Manchurian candidate by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll
    Wouldn't that silly scenario more fit McCain? He was tortured over a period of 5 1/2 years by the commies and is now ascending the ranks.

    I mean how does Obama even fit into your stupid scenario? That he's black?

  6. Cat got your tongue? by nova.alpha · · Score: -1, Troll

    This looks like USA almost made a nice little Chernobyl for itself :)