Hackers take aim at key U.S. infrastructure (http://www.cnn.com)
02/20/2013 – Cyber Security
Tuesday’s report detailing hacking activities by the Chinese government against U.S. targets all but confirmed what everyone suspected: the Chinese, along with other nations and groups, are gathering information that could disrupt the operation of critical infrastructure in this country, including power plants, chemical factories and air-traffic control systems.
To be clear, the report from U.S.-based cybersecurity firm Mandiant did not say the Chinese government has actively tampered with these systems. The only two counties thought to have actually altered industrial processes in another country are the United States and Israel, which are suspected of infecting an Iranian uranium enrichment plant with malicious software that caused the centrifuges to spin out of control and self-destruct.
But the Mandiant report said it was likely Chinese military personnel that hacked into Telvent Canada, a firm now known as Schneider Electric that makes switches and other gear for oil and gas pipelines. The Chinese military denies the allegations, calling them “groundless both in facts and legal basis.”
(Continue reading at http://www.cnn.com)
My Two Cents: Hacking is only going to get worse. Seems to me that the software running these firewalls has too many mistakes within the code, and people should NOT be allowed to click on any links via an email message. Then of course, is it a good idea to have pro-logic controllers attached to the internet?
