Cyberspies have penetrated the U.S. electrical grid and left behind software programs that could be used to disrupt the system, according to current and former national-security officials.
The spies came from China, Russia and other countries, these officials said, and were believed to be on a mission to navigate the U.S. electrical system and its controls. The intruders haven’t sought to damage the power grid or other key infrastructure, but officials warned they could try during a crisis or war.
“The Chinese have attempted to map our infrastructure, such as the electrical grid,” said a senior intelligence official. “So have the Russians.”
Can’t be true. These people are our good and dear friends.
They may have done it. But I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the U.S. has detailed maps of China and Russia’s infrastructure too.
“The Commies, Mandrake…The Commies are trying to pervert our precious bodily fluids.”
-Col. Jack D. Ripper in [i]Dr. Strangelove: Or how I stopped worrying and learned to love the Bomb[/i]
Is electricity a fluid? 🙂
As it so happens, I just finished working on something that will provide a defense against just this sort of attack. It’s not something that DHS and the industry are unaware of, and measures are being taken right now to foil them.
Perhaps the Presdent will report them to the United Nations.
Let’s just give the Russians and the Mainland Chinese free copies of Vista to load onto their computers. That should cripple their entire network overnight! :^D
Unfortunately, this means the government will have to spend money and people will have to pay taxes for it.