Lights Out: U.S. Power Grid Under Attack by Cyber Hackers

In a scenario reminiscent of the Hollywood film Live Free or Die Hard, hackers are targeting the U.S Power Grid. Intelligence sleuths have found cyber footprints according to a Wall Street Journal report.

If you are really a paranoiac type, then when the lights go out one fine Monday morning, then you would know who to blame. In news which could be a ticking time bomb, the Wall Street Journal reported that hackers penetrated the U.S. electrical grid and left behind software programs that could be used to disrupt the system. The finger of conspiracy points to the Chinese. Experts say that the Chinese along with Russians are particularly active in this sphere. An official who was quoted on condition of anonymity said:

“They are all over the place. They're getting into university systems, contractor systems, hacking government systems. There's no reason to think that the electrical system would be immune as well."

The U.S. Homeland Security acknowledged this threat after the Wall Street report came out but they were non-committal on whether any cyber hacks had taken place. The Wall Street Journal on its part said that the intruders have not sought to damage the power grid or other key infrastructure but could try during a crisis or war. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said:

“The vulnerability is something that the Department of Homeland Security and the energy sector have known about for years. We acknowledge that ... in this world, in an increasingly cyber world, these are increasing risks."

A silent cyber war is a reality it seems and it is fought on the ether almost 24x7. The United States has in the past pointed the finger of suspicion at the Russians and the Chinese and have held them responsible for attempting to steal American trade, military and governmental secrets through cyber penetration. Eric Rosenbach, executive director for research at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government's Belfer Center explained the paradigms of this new front:

“I think that China recognizes if in a very strategic sense you want to ensure you have the ability to exploit another country's potential weakness or vulnerability but do it in a way that isn't confrontational or cause an international crisis, then this is a very good way of doing that.”

So what are the men on the decision table doing about this latest (or not so latest) threat doing about it? President Obama has initiated a top-to-bottom cyber review that is expected to be completed very soon. Mississippi Democratic Representative Bennie Thompson, chairman of the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee, said he would introduce legislation to address the grid's vulnerability to cyber-attack. The North American Electric Reliability Corp, the industry group with responsibility for grid reliability and security for the United States and Canada said that it is not aware of any attacks. It continuously works with industry to sharpen its defenses against any potential intrusions. American Electric Power Co spokeswoman Melissa McHenry said that electrical systems have been ‘probed’ for weaknesses in the past. While there is no foolproof barrier, the utility service takes all possible measures to prevent any such cyber attacks using a comprehensive multi-layered security system. Hopefully, the new awareness and the pro-activeness of the powers that be will deter the hackers. Otherwise, it will prove that war can be fought by other means.