Power Plant Vulnerabilities 


This article over on CNN gives some details about the constant hacking attempts that occur against the machines that control the nation's electrical power systems. No telling how many of these "hundreds of daily attacks" come from dumb worms or are really crackers trying to gain access to these systems. Doesn't really matter. My question is:

WHY THE HELL ARE THESE IMPORTANT SYSTEMS ON THE NET AT ALL?

Seriously. The article doesn't even address this aside from this one paragraph:
The vulnerability of the nation's electrical grid to computer attack has grown as power companies have transferred control of their electrical generation and distribution equipment from private, internal networks to supervisory control and data acquisition, or SCADA, systems that can be accessed through the Internet or by phone lines, according to consultants and government reports. That technology has led to greater efficiency because it allows workers to operate equipment remotely.
Stupid. Greater efficiency because they don't have to go to an office at the plant. It isn't greater efficiency if this wonderful equipment allows the takedown of our power grid by some script kiddie in the Ukraine. Want remote access? Run your own damn private network if you need this "remote" functionality.

The one hard and fast rule of network security: It can't be cracked from the network if it's not attached to the network.

You always run the risk of being hacked if you're attached to the public network, regardless of the precautions you take. Any critical systems like this should never, ever, in a million years be in a position where an attempt to crack the machines can even be made. Anything less than this is completely irresponsible. Haven't these jerks seen the newest season of 24? :-) 

 

Posted: Fri - March 11, 2005 at 01:03 PM          

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