From: The National Interest
On December 30th, the Washington Post incorrectly reported that Russian hackers had penetrated the U.S. electric grid through a Vermont utility. While this story ended up being an error as malicious code was found in a computer which was not connected to the grid, it highlights the importance of protecting the U.S. electric grid from cyber-attacks. The federal government, some states and the private sector are implementing programs, especially ones that focus on information sharing, to keep the power grid safe from such threats.
Most industrial control systems used in the electric grid are connected to the Internet, making them vulnerable to a cyber-attack. U.S. officials have tracked efforts by China, Russia and other countries to implant malicious software inside computers used by U.S. utilities as far back as 2009. American officials believe that a cyber-campaign against the U.S. energy industry in 2014 resulted in the penetration of at least 17 companies’ systems, including four utilities, where hackers stole data and gained access to private networks. Such information and access could potentially allow them to remotely adjust equipment settings. Because the U.S. power grid is a large system with interconnected networks, taking down one or more utilities could easily destabilize large areas of the grid.
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