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Chinese Researcher Says US Power Grid Is Vulnerable, Strategist Overreacts
An anonymous reader writes with a story about Wang Jianwei, a grad student in China who recently released a paper detailing a vulnerability in the US power grid. Despite the paper being rather typical for security research, its origin set off alarm bells for military strategist Larry M. Wortzel, who testified before Congress that the student was a threat, despite the fact that the published attack wasn't really feasible. Quoting:
"'We usually say "attack" so you can see what would happen,' [Wang] said. 'My emphasis is on how you can protect this. My goal is to find a solution to make the network safer and better protected.' And independent American scientists who read his paper said it was true: Mr. Wang's work was a conventional technical exercise that in no way could be used to take down a power grid. The difference between Mr. Wang's explanation and Mr. Wortzel’s conclusion is of more than academic interest. It shows that in an atmosphere already charged with hostility between the United States and China over cybersecurity issues, including large-scale attacks on computer networks, even a misunderstanding has the potential to escalate tension and set off an overreaction. 'Already people are interpreting this as demonstrating some kind of interest that China would have in disrupting the US power grid,' said Nart Villeneuve, a researcher with the SecDev Group, an Ottawa-based cybersecurity research and consulting group."
The biggest mistake he made in his paper was the assumption that Homer still works at Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. Clearly China is several seasons behind in their 'research'.
I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain
"Kill 'em all and let Root sort 'em out"
Look, I know it's easy for people to think he's planning an "attack", but I think he's just trying to be proactive.
Being Chinese, he no doubt craves video games, online MMORPGs and anime to a level that a Westerner just can't understand. Just put yourself in his shoes for a moment. Could you really go 30 minutes, or maybe even an hour, without playing some Wii or playing WoW or seeing some tentacle rape? No, you probably couldn't. So you'd do everything you possibly can to ensure that you have electricity 100% of the time, even if that meant thinking about unrealistic scenarios and writing reports about them.
I thought you guys at Wal*Mart weren't allowed to use the store computers to surf the web?
Orwell: "In a Time of Universal Deceit, telling the Truth is a Revolutionary Act"
Citation needed
We'll just have one of our grad students publish a paper online on the vulnerability of your power grid and see how you like it! So there! Nyaah!
Prisencolinensinainciusol. Ol Rait!
Wang: Americans, I have a message for you! Your power infrastructure is vulnerable!
LOUD SHOT. Wang grabs his chest and drops dead.
U.S. Military: And this is how we deal with threats.
(you can mod me down now)
This post contains no rudeness or derision of any kind. All arguments are friendly. Terms and exclusions may apply.
He's afraid of the ten-foot tall members of al Qaeda who can shoot lightning bolts out their fingers and fly. Duh.
And they obviously exist - why else would every Republican member of Congress shit their pants when the subject comes up?