From: GAO WatchBlog
Nobody likes being in the dark. Some people invest in a generator or at least some candles for the occasional outage. But what if you’re the Department of Defense, and instead of bad weather knocking out the water or power, it’s a hack? For Cybersecurity Awareness Month, read on for what DOD is doing to protect its utilities from cyberattacks.
Power up
DOD has more than 500 major installations at home and abroad. These bases and other installations need reliable supplies of electricity, water, natural gas, and other utilities.
Industrial control systems help provide utilities when and where they’re needed. These are computer-controlled electromechanical systems that can, for example, open and close electrical switches and valves to operate heating and cooling systems.
According to DOD, these systems have become increasingly networked and interconnected with other DOD networks. While efficient, this puts them at risk of cyber intrusion or attack.
(Excerpted from GAO-15-749)
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