Tuesday, June 28, 2022
  • About us
    • Write for us
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms of use
    • Privacy Policy
  • RSS Feeds
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us
DefenceTalk
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports
No Result
View All Result
DefenceTalk
No Result
View All Result

Foreign cyber attack hits US infrastructure: expert

by Agence France-Presse
November 22, 2011
in Technology News
2 min read
0
Foreign cyber attack hits US infrastructure: expert
14
VIEWS

A cyber strike launched from outside the United States hit a public water system in the Midwestern state of Illinois, an infrastructure control systems expert said on Friday.

“This is arguably the first case where we have had a hack of critical infrastructure from outside the United States that caused damage,” Applied Control Solutions managing partner Joseph Weiss told AFP.

“That is what is so big about this,” he continued. “They could have done anything because they had access to the master station.”

The Illinois Statewide Terrorism and Intelligence Center disclosed the cyber assault on a public water facility outside the city of Springfield last week but attackers gained access to the system months earlier, Weiss said.

The network breach was exposed after cyber intruders burned out a pump.

“No one realized the hackers were in there until they started turning on and off the pump,” according to Weiss.

The attack was reportedly traced to a computer in Russia and took advantage of account passwords stolen during a hack of a US company that makes Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software.

There are about a dozen or so firms that make SCADA software, which is used around the world to control machines in industrial facilities ranging from factories and oil rigs to nuclear power and sewage plants.

Stealing passwords and account names from a SCADA software company was, in essence, swiping keys to networks of facilities using the programs to control operations.

“We don’t know how many other SCADA systems have been compromised because they don’t really have cyber forensics,” said Weiss, who is based in California.

The US Department of Homeland Security has downplayed the Illinois cyber attack in public reports, stating that it had seen no evidence indicating a threat to public safety but was investigating the situation.

Word also circulated on Friday that a water supply network in Texas might have been breached in a cyber attack, according to McAfee Labs security research director David Marcus.

“My gut tells me that there is greater targeting and wider compromise than we know about,” Marcus said in a blog post.

“Does this mean that I think it is cyber-Armageddon time?” Marcus continued. “No, but it is certainly prudent to evaluate our systems and ask some questions.”

Tags: cyber attackcyber securityhackersnetwork securitysecuritywater system
Previous Post

HELLFIRE team sustaining fight, cutting costs

Next Post

Three-way US-China drills possible: Australia

Related Posts

US moves closer to retaliation over hacking as cyber woes grow

Spain warns of possible cyberattack at NATO summit

June 27, 2022

Spain's defence minister warned on Friday of a possible cyberattack during the NATO summit in Madrid next week. Asked if...

AI Improves Robotic Performance in DARPA’s Machine Common Sense Program

AI Improves Robotic Performance in DARPA’s Machine Common Sense Program

June 23, 2022

Researchers with DARPA's Machine Common Sense (MCS) program demonstrated a series of improvements to robotic system performance over the course...

Next Post
CNO Visits China, International Fleet Review

Three-way US-China drills possible: Australia

Latest Defense News

Former NATO chief Javier Solana has coronavirus

Finland, Sweden leaders to discuss NATO bid with Erdogan

June 27, 2022
Canada sends 2 warships to Baltic Sea to bolster security

Canada sends 2 warships to Baltic Sea to bolster security

June 27, 2022
Russia says first hypersonic missiles enter service

Russia hit a missile factory in Kyiv: defence ministry

June 27, 2022
US moves closer to retaliation over hacking as cyber woes grow

Spain warns of possible cyberattack at NATO summit

June 27, 2022
Kyiv says US precision artillery systems arrived in Ukraine

Kyiv says US precision artillery systems arrived in Ukraine

June 24, 2022
US Navy Kicks Off ICEX 2020

Russia and China eye NATO’s ‘Arctic Achilles heel’

June 24, 2022

Defense Forum Discussions

  • The Russian-Ukrainian War Thread
  • New Coronavirus threat
  • Royal New Zealand Air Force
  • Russia and the West
  • New Zealand Army
  • Royal Australian Navy Discussions and Updates 2.0
  • Royal New Zealand Navy Discussions and Updates
  • Indonesian Aero News
  • Indo Pacific strategy
  • China - Geostrategic & Geopolitical.
DefenceTalk

© 2003-2020 DefenceTalk.com

Navigate Site

  • Defence Forum
  • Military Photos
  • RSS Feeds
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports

© 2003-2020 DefenceTalk.com