Posted on 08/01/2012 10:23:27 PM PDT by blam
The Government Admits The US Power Grid Can Be Taken Out At Any Time
Walter Hickey
Aug. 1, 2012, 7:00 PM
The Government Accountability Office just released a report backing up earlier findings: because a series of recommendations were ignored, the U.S. electric grid remains highly susceptible to cyberattacks.
The grid is reliant on a number of IT systems that have known and likely unknown vulnerabilities. The result of a cyberattack on the grid could result in damage to electricity control systems, power outages, and failures in safety equipment on a scale currently unknown.
GAO believes that there are still massive problems in the way the grid secures itself. Here are some of the reasons why they said the grid was open to attack:
* A lack of a coordinated approach to monitor industry compliance with voluntary standards.
* Aspects of the current regulatory environment made it difficult to ensure the cybersecurity of smart grid systems.
* A focus by utilities on regulatory compliance instead of comprehensive security. * A lack of security features consistently built into smart grid systems.
The verdict? A terrible regulatory environment that makes the industry focus on things that don't make the grid more secure. Electric companies who couldn't care less about spending more on security. A lack of focus on preventing an attack against the electric lifeblood of the United States.
The worst is, GAO told the Government what they had to do last year, and it was ignored.
The Department of Commerce's report on smart grid security was "missing key elements" and has not been fixed.
The Department of Energy was tasked with "periodically evaluate[ing] the extent to which utilities [...] are following voluntary interoperability and cybersecurity standards" and this report says they haven't.
(snip)
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
Government Accountability
Talk about an oxymoron.
Preppers’ PING!!
Ping
For now.
I might take this report more seriously, if the US government itself wasn’t forcing good coal-fired plants to shut down. This will more likely cause major disruptions in the future.
You watch: This will be the false flag operation the regime uses to impose martial law in October and confiscate our guns.
Last week it rained really hard and turned off the power for a few hours. My neighbor was none-too-happy about that!
This is only the tip of the iceberg with regard to our vulnerability.
Neener neener, Texas is on its own grid.
“It isn’t a monolithic control system that can be compromised in a single stroke.”
I agree. Keep crying wolf is good job security for someone.
what is your picture, I’ve never seen it before?
Thanks
LOL! That was my first thought too. Maybe we should invest in an extension cord factory (that makes REALLY long cords) to we can make sure all the non-Texas FReepers won't suffer from withdrawals if it all goes 'poof!'
:-)
We are not being protected.
Of course we aren't.
The feds regulating crap to the Nth degree (thus preventing anyone from doing anything constructive) then using the situation it, itself created as an excuse to scream 'crisis' is how they gain power.
A few years ago, long after 9/11, our eclectric company decided to take down the fences around substations... you know, chain link fences that you can see through and notice if someone was in there... and build tall brick walls around them so someone messing around the equipment could do so without anyone being the wiser.
Government admits what every intelligent person already knew.
Yep
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.