Slashdot Mirror
Smart-Grid Control Software Maker Hacked
tsu doh nimh writes "Telvent, a multinational company whose software and services are used to remotely administer and monitor large sections of the energy and gas industries, began warning customers last week that it is investigating a sophisticated hacker attack spanning its operations in the United States, Canada and Spain. Brian Krebs reports that the attacker(s) installed malicious software and stole project files related to one of Telvent's core offerings — OASyS SCADA — a product that helps energy firms mesh older IT assets with more advanced 'smart grid' technologies. A follow-up story from Wired.com got confirmation from Telvent, and includes speculation from experts that the 'project files' could be used to sabotage systems. 'Some project files contain the "recipe" for the operations of a customer, describing calculations and frequencies at which systems run or when they should be turned on or off. If you're going to do a sophisticated attack, you get the project file and study it and decide how you want to modify the pieces of the operation. Then you modify the project file and load it, and they're not running what they think they're running.'"
The main problem is that only the hackers that have not tried to hack their system, did not hack their systems. And the more terrifying truth is that there is not even one vendor with secure solution out-there. I am just amazed of how they even put the word "secure" in there product!!!!