03 August 2010

Another Obama "Green Economy" Success Story.

Team Hopenchange's "smart grid" could leave us open to cyber-attack on our power infrastructure, and even in our homes:
But to receive the stimulus money, utilities will have to install new devices across their entire customer base quickly. Security experts say that this could lead to problems down the road--as-yet-unknown vulnerabilities in hardware and software could open up new ways for attackers to manipulate equipment and take control of the energy supply.

Smart-grid deployments involve installing smart meters in homes and businesses across a utility's coverage area. These meters can communicate with the utility and with other networked devices--usually via a wireless network of some type. Some ways to hijack this type of equipment have already been revealed. Last year, Mike Davis, a senior security consultant at IOActive, created a piece of software that could spread automatically between smart grid hardware in different homes. The software would then be capable of shutting equipment down.
(emphasis mine)
In other words, in Obama's quest for being "green", one of the 12th-century boys - sitting in a cave in Pakistan - could potentially turn off air conditioners in the middle of August, or cut the lights just before a bomb blast, or shut down the fire water pumps in a building. Gee, thanks, Barry.

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