Hackers reportedly targeting cities' power systems

We know, hackers tend to get a pretty bad rap these days, but with some of 'em out there creating ginormous gridlocks in Los Angeles and shutting down networks in enemy territories, we sort of understand the sentiment. Most recently, it seems that hackers are being blamed for "penetrating power systems (sound familiar?) in several regions outside the US, and in at least one case, causing a power outage affecting multiple cities." That's according to Tom Donahue, a CIA official, who failed to dole out critical details such as where or when the attacks occurred nor how many folks were actually left in the dark. 'Course, Bruce Schneier, CTO of security firm BT Counterpane, warns that these attacks could in fact be aided by individuals with administrative access to said systems, implying that "human vulnerability" could share at least some of the blame. Don't worry guys, we're faxing CTU right now, they'll be right on it within 72 business hours.

[Image courtesy of WPS]

[austin @ Jan 19th 2008 2:09PM]

i'm in Park City, Utah and the power went out last night in the entire city. during the sundance film festival for about an hour. could this be related? maybe hackers wanted to cause problems with sundance?

[pigfister @ Jan 19th 2008 2:14PM]

you think its hackers, lol this is just a public campaign to enable the USA gov to clamp down harder on internet traffic and justify their restriction on liberties/freedom!

[hexoDAT64 @ Jan 19th 2008 2:13PM]

Live Free or Die Hard anyone?

[abadtooth @ Jan 19th 2008 2:14PM]

LOL, thats what I thought when I first read the headline :P

[Porkchop Flavored Cupcake @ Jan 19th 2008 3:07PM]

For reallyreal.
One way fascism succeeds is by creating an internal, as well as an external threat.
In order to create paralysis among the sheep, you must make them fear everything around them.
Have them in fear of terrorists from overseas, and make them fear these "cyber terrorists" at home, as well as abroad. Don't be a sheep, don't fall for their tricks, think for yourself, and don't live in fear.

[Arjy @ Jan 19th 2008 3:25PM]

Obviously justin long is doing all of this, which means apple is behind him. I think all that greenspeace talk went to their head.

[Rob @ Jan 19th 2008 3:26PM]

W - O - R - D !!!
I totally agree with y'all.

[BigD145 @ Jan 19th 2008 4:36PM]

@Porkchop
I'm amazed the article didn't really grasp at straws and say the words "sleeper cell."

[Hecktic @ Jan 19th 2008 2:13PM]

oh how the tables have turned, the common people fighting back i say bring it on i had a gas generator waiting 4 years now to be fired up.

[MindstormMaster1 @ Jan 19th 2008 2:18PM]

hackers rock without them

we would have to use at&t

couldnt install third party apps on out ipods

couldnt protect out pcs for bad hackers

AND TONS MORE.

ETHAN STECKMANN(A HACKER WANT TO BE)

[Hecktic @ Jan 19th 2008 3:39PM]

yes they do... now if they only could figure out a way to get rid of credit card dept :)

[z3r0D @ Jan 19th 2008 6:26PM]

Without -TRUE- hackers,

Computers would be shiny boxes that just sat there.

[Hecktic @ Jan 19th 2008 2:39PM]

JUST AN UPDATE! iphone 1.1.3 has been jailbroken, not released to public yet but here is a video i found on iphoneatlas.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idxxKVM1Cno

i give it a week if not days till we all get this

[MindstormMaster1 @ Jan 19th 2008 3:35PM]

sweet see like i said hackers rock

[tobin92 @ Jan 19th 2008 3:46PM]

They must have a mole in these places.....or they are just guessing randomly and getting lucky

[Jordan @ Jan 19th 2008 4:30PM]

All your electricity are belong to us.

[XGM @ Jan 19th 2008 4:40PM]

i r t3h l33t h4x. all your powerz r belongz to m3

[Candle @ Jan 19th 2008 4:43PM]

Bummer .

[nephersir7 @ Jan 19th 2008 4:47PM]

I didn't knew Thomas Gabriel (live free or die hard) had a fan-club.

[Richard @ Jan 19th 2008 5:28PM]

Must be true the CIA said so. Now to find those missing nukes in Iraq.

[dydimustk @ Jan 19th 2008 5:34PM]

crackers != hackers

[Andre @ Jan 20th 2008 3:36AM]

What a fu#@!%&d you are, you're just a f%$^*$% script kiddie...at more, you're laughable, if you think hackers talk like that you're pretty much out of your league little boy. Let the grown up do their work.

[tekdroid @ Jan 19th 2008 6:16PM]

that's ok, we have clean, infinite energy.
http://www.steorn.com

Public demonstration needs new bearings, tho. Don't worry, they'll get to it soon (as they said on the 5th July, 2007:
http://www.steorn.com/news/releases/?id=1001
"Over the next few weeks the company will explore alternative dates for the public demonstration."

[Zorque @ Jan 19th 2008 6:39PM]

Why are our nation's power sources connected to the internet?

[tekdroid @ Jan 19th 2008 6:53PM]

pr0n

[pattman247 @ Jan 19th 2008 7:55PM]

hmm, so that's why the power went off in my house yesterday night...

[The_Steven @ Jan 19th 2008 10:02PM]

Yeah, someone has been watching a few too many late night movies, and got their "paranoia mode switch" stuck on overload again...

[Dr Buzz0 @ Jan 19th 2008 10:08PM]

I really doubt a hacker could take down a power system in the US. Most of them are a lot less connected than you might think. Turning off an area is not a matter of punching something into a computer but rather it requires sending a lineman to a substation where a fiberglass pole is used to open up a bit switch. They're not all connected to the information age like that, at least not in general. There are computerized systems but they're not generally internet-based.

Telecom systems, yes, but power, I doubt it.

[JuggleNuts @ Jan 20th 2008 4:04AM]

I thought they were targeting oil tankers ... ?

[ark_v2 @ Jan 20th 2008 1:40PM]

Making someones job more difficult, pulling out a nice prank to someone or to modify your blackboard grades is fun, but that's too dangerous and way over the top; they are going too far (unless they attack Ballmer, Gates, or Jobs that is).

[ED @ Jan 20th 2008 5:16PM]

Fact: You will get no electricity if Bruce Schneier chooses to encrypt it.

[Rocketboy @ Jan 20th 2008 5:31PM]

Yes, because it could never ever ever happen, and if it was, you'd be the first one to know.

Groups of hackers/crackers were NEVER ever ever paid to do something bad to anyone ever before. Nor has any gov't or para-military group ever once thought of doing such a thing.

[APasserBy @ Jan 20th 2008 6:05PM]

Unless they are Chinese:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1098961,00.html

[Rocketboy @ Jan 20th 2008 11:15PM]

My point exactally...

Note: Sarcasm was indicated by the following lines / phrases. Play along at home to see if you spotted them all:

"...never ever ever...you'd be the first one to know.

...NEVER ever ever...ever...ever once thought of doing such a thing."

There was still more sarcasm, trade notes with your friends to try to find out what other sarcasm was posted.