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How Vulnerable Is Our Power Grid?

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the dc-is-screwed-but-ac-will-be-fine dept.

coreboarder writes "Recently it was divulged that the Brazilian power infrastructure was compromised by hackers. Then it was announced that it was apparently faulty equipment. A downplay to the global public or an honest clarification? Either way, it raises the question: how vulnerable are we, really? With winter and all its icy glory hurtling towards those of us in the northern hemisphere, how open are we to everything from terrorist threats to simple 'pay me or else' schemes?"

7 of 359 comments (clear)

  1. One word: Enron by goodmanj · · Score: 4, Informative

    Hijacking the power grid and forcing entire states to pay ransom or suffer brownouts? Such a thing has never happened before!

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Star_(Business)

    1. Re:One word: Enron by Shakrai · · Score: 4, Informative

      The military is it's own animal. But in 38 states (the blue and yellow ones on the map) you can easily obtain a concealed carry permit as a civilian, provided that you aren't a felon or mental case. In some of the remaining states you can also obtain one, though you may have to jump through additional hoops. The only two states where you absolutely can't get one are Illinois and Wisconsin.

      It's probable that in a few years that you will be able to obtain one in all 50 states. SCOTUS is on the verge of incorporating the 2nd amendment against the states. Once that happens we can begin to dismantle the unconstitutional restrictions placed on our right to keep and bear arms by some of the more urban states.

      Point being, that you have whatever chance you are willing to give yourself. Personally I carry everywhere that it's legal to do so. I hope and pray that I never have to use it. Should the day come though I won't be cowering under a desk waiting to be murdered by some mental case or Mumbai copy-cat.

      --
      I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
      We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
    2. Re:One word: Enron by nmos · · Score: 3, Informative

      As the Fort Hood shootings demonstrate, being in a heavily armed environment does not necessarily make anyone safer (I'm assuming American military bases are heavily armed environments.)

      Are you sure about that? From Wikipedia:

      Lt. General Cone stated the on-base firearm policy: "As a matter of practice, we do not carry weapons on Fort Hood. This is our home."[80] Military weapons are only used for training or by base security, and personal weapons must be kept locked away by the provost marshal.

      While these types of incidents are, as you said, improbable they're hardly fantasy and usually occur in "gun free zones".

  2. Major Brazil Power Failure Yesterday by rsmith-mac · · Score: 5, Informative

    Speaking of Brazilian power failures, Brazil had another major power failure yesterday. Power from the Itaipu dam was cut off, which apparently put millions of people in the dark as it generates something like 14GW. Itaipu blames the Brazilian grid, meanwhile Brazilian officials aren't sure what it was, but are protesting any idea that it was sabotage/hacking. Paraguay and Uruguay also get power from Itaipu and were similarly affected.

    http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/11/11/brazil.blackout/index.html

    1. Re:Major Brazil Power Failure Yesterday by Extremus · · Score: 5, Informative

      According some reports, it was probably caused by the weather. Two main high-voltage power lines faulted simultaneously, causing part of the system to shutdown for safety. So, no hackers this time, I guess.

  3. Re:A bigger threat by plague3106 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Actually it was Enron illegally manipulating the market which lead to the rolling blackouts. Notice they stopped shortly after the collapse of Enron and the arrest of those that hatched the schemes.

    I read that link; appearly you think companies should be able to do whatever they want to public resources without restriction. I don't buy that nonsense, nor do I think corporations care about anything but squeezing money out of people. We allow them exist to serve a public good, not because they have any right to existence.

    The "bribing" described in the article was Eddison trying to convience the local government that it would be worth it to install an electric grid. He proved to be right, but not every idea that comes along would pan out like that. The government is supposed to represent the people, and the people shouldn't have the roads they paid for torn up at the whim of a corporation, so the corporration (or Eddison) needs to convince OUR representives that there's something in it for us.

  4. Speaking for generation, NOT VULNERABLE by rift321 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Speaking as a controls engineer for a major utility contractor, the control systems for power plants are completely isolated from the internet... it's common sense. There are security consultants out there feeding FUD to the public about the vulnerability of these control systems to viruses planted (either knowingly or unknowingly) by plant personnel. Well, if someone had intimate knowledge of the software AND close ties to the operators AND really thought that bringing down the plant would be a good way screw everyone over, despite the fact that when things go wrong, all valves and systems return to a fail-safe position, AND once the software was re-installed, everything is easily restarted...

    Yeah, I guess it could happen. As far as the grid is concerned, I'm *guessing* that a lot of people were influenced by the same method of thinking.

    Look, if anyone really wants bring down the power grid, we should be worried about a physical attack WAY more than an electronic one. I just can't conceive of how our systems are as vulnerable as people say they are.