Foreign hackers broke into Illinois water plant control system, industry expert says

Foreign hackers broke into Illinois water plant control system, industry expert says

www.washingtonpost.com

Foreign hackers broke into a water plant control system in Illinois last week and damaged a water pump in what may be the first reported case of a malicious cyber attack on a critical computer system in the United States, according to an industry expert.

On Nov. 8, a municipal water district employee in Illinois noticed problems with the city’s water pump control system, and a technician determined the system had been remotely hacked into from a computer located in Russia, said Joe Weiss, an industry security expert who obtained a copy of an Illinois state fusion center report describing

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This is all pretty vague so far. They aren't even sure if it's a hacking attempt yet. Maybe they know more but just haven't released the information. I'm curious to see if Iran ends up being blamed. It would be very convenient for Iran to get blamed for this.

This could very well be just a regular malfunction but the expert in the article claims otherwise. This is certainly interesting and I'm anticipating more details on this story to be released.

Of course there is the possibility that this is just another attempt to help demonize Iran or restrict our internet freedoms so I won't hold my breathe while waiting for the truth to come out.

www.washingtonpost.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

someone has to be blamed for it....whether russian, iranian...or even your next door neighbor...take your pick

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


There is no good reason for having SCADA or industrial control systems accessible through the Internet. This has happened way more than the public knows and has cost billions.

I wonder if it was really a computer in Russia or if a disgruntled admin used a Russian proxy to get even.

Two words...

False flag.

Originally posted by jcord
reply to post by Corruption Exposed

 

There is no good reason for having SCADA or industrial control systems accessible through the Internet. This has happened way more than the public knows and has cost billions.

SCADA has increased costs of building new public works outrageously, IMO.

fear, Fear, FEAR....

"damaged a pump system"

Excuse me... why not just release the short list of nations of people we are obliged to fear and hate and be done with the theatrics?

If someone can explain how the notion of releasing this information to the public is supposed to further enhance security, I would appreciate it. Frankly, if Russia actually spent resources to hack a water pump in Illinois, do you really think they would get 'caught'?

Oh well... at least they are not trying to make everyone believe that 1,500 cave-dwelling Islamic fundamentalists are behind it.... or maybe that's next.

As for the "Industry Expert" fire him, as was so intelligently pointed out before... infrastructure systems do not belong on the Internet.... so I would say, you're expertise is suspect.

reply to post by jcord


I agree, whoever decided to link certain infrastructure to the internet wasn't thinking. Or maybe it was part of the plan. Who knows? One thing for sure is that it's not very smart.

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


In truth this is the kind of things that kids, albeit very bright kids, in Russia do for kicks.

but maybe.....STUXNET something

reply to post by Maxmars


It certainly screams scare tactic when you read it doesn't it?

If it actually WERE a foreign entity that did this my bet would be on China. But that is just speculation on my behalf. My first thought was some type of propaganda. I just can't tell anymore with all the garbage I hear every day.

... Wait till humans find out 'They'... Not only can digitally get into Ur ... BUTT also... into U-ALL's...
Rolls... Mercedes & others like ... ass Ur driving on the HIGHways...
Advancement in technology ECU's... BRAKES!!!... NOW... FLOOR IT!!!...
also can be a weakness in human spirit... Gives a whole new meaning to...
'GET IN SIT DOWN SHUT UP'... Hopefully no one springs a leak on the leather seats

Mr X-Ultra/classic... caburetor driven... back to the 'Good oL Days'..
Can I get some fries with that Shaker

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


us troops in Australia, Russian forces in Syria, false flag towards future war. Big brother is getting mighty brave here.

Oh noez!! The Russians are forming a master plan! They are terrorizing a random water plant in Illinois that really only effects a place that most would call the rectum of the united states...

If they can damage a water pump in this case, imagine what they could do if they could hack into critical control systems in a nuclear power plant.

From the closed thread:

In a discussion I've had in the last 6 months or so with a friend, I posited to him that having Stuxnet "in the open" could lead to varietions of that virus being used to target other critical systems.Not saying that this is the case in this scenario, but it is certainly something which should be considered.

Thank you for bringing this to the forum for discussion.

just read up about stuxnet....holy beerfarts, batman...that's too scarey...to think our government is capable of doing something like that.....time to find another planet to live on

reply to post by jadedANDcynical


Is there another thread on this. If this is a duplicate please close mods.

I searched and couldn't find anything on this current connection.

reply to post by moonweed


I have been hearing about Stuxnet since it came out. I don't know much about it but it sounds nasty. I'm sure that they sent it to the Iranian facilities. I would like to know more if the claims that a similar virus was sent to Fukushima.

These plants, nuclear and water as examples, should not be linked to the internet. It's a catastrophe waiting to happen.

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


The other was a duplicate and was closed.

I posted this in it...

Just wait until far superior foreign cyber-warfare operatives are able to infiltrate and install a smart virus inside far more critical systems inside of the USA.

You ain't seen nothing yet... IMO

Blame the anonymous collective.

reply to post by Fractured.Facade


Thanks