Computers the control the power grid have been hacked

[classicman]

Extremely, I saw this days ago, but didn't post it as I have been labeled and extremist.

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

It's going to take an act of congress, literally, to protect us.

That doesn't offer me any comfort either.

[dar512]

Can you imagine the trouble and panic if power went out for entire regions and if it lasted more than a day or two? I bet it would do more damage to our country than dropping a bomb.

I don't think it's extremist to be concerned about this.

[tw]

Originally Posted by classicman

Extremely, I saw this days ago, but didn't post it as I have been labeled and extremist.

Nice grammar you idiot (stated in a tone only you understand).Not that I care. A wacko like you are so critical of other's grammar when you cannot even write to meet your own wacko standards. Meanwhile, does not matter if you posted. You admit to thinking extremist fears anyway.

Now for issues that extremists cannot understand. This is for the intelligent among us: Put the whole thing into perspective. How many computers that actually operate the grid are compromised

If an LMP system has been compromised, that would do nothing to crash the grid. Only interfere with the marketing of electricity. Require them to switch to a backup system that they periodically use anyway: phones. And yet that would also be reported as a potential destruction of the entire grid. Then get promoted by the foolish as some major attack on America.

Having said that, we also know where the grid is most likely at risk. NE blackout occurred because (among the many reasons) First Energy would not upgrade their computers for years - to cut costs. A defect fixed by software many years previously would disconnect the computer from all data sources; then keep reporting the last read number for days as it everything was OK.

This is the same company also did not properly clean out their nuclear reactor which resulted in a hole in the containment building for Davis Besse. A reactor with a Three Mile Island problem that also had a compromised containment building just outside Toledo. These are not accidents. Theses are directly traceable to that management - the real threat.

Where the grid is probably at most ; top management does not even have basic engineering knowledge. Where the top man is a business school graduate. Who will not implement simple security upgrades only because it will increase costs.

If software has been placed in critical computers, it would be located with the first audit. But audits also cost money. Therefore some companies with bean counter mentalities will not perform what can easily identify security breaches. Another fact that the news report forgot to mention.

The entire grid is not at risk. But even a hole in Davis Besse and the NE blackout created by the same company were greater threats. The entire report takes on a completely different (and more relevant) meaning once we include the details.

Conficker crashed all computers in America on 1 April. More hype and fear. Notice how the Millennium Bug destroyed society. Worry like extremists want. Or put reality into perspective. Only then can we 1) appreciate where the real problems exist, 2) understand what is needed to avert problems, and 3) not have more "Saddam has WMD" lies promoted by extremists.

Enemies are not lurking under every table trying to kill us all. Only extremists make those claims. We simply have some companies run by people who don't come from where the work gets done. Who subvert workers that would otherwise eliminate such threats with simple solutions.