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NYT / NBC: Russian Hackers Appear to Shift Focus to Our Power Grid
Intelligence officials and security analysts say Russian hackers are devoting much more effort toward implanting malicious software in the U.S. power grid than attempting to breach electoral systems.
In March the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI issued a joint alert that Russian government hackers had staged malware and gained access to U.S. critical infrastructure, including energy networks, nuclear, commercial facilities, water, aviation, and critical manufacturing sectors.
State-sponsored Russian hackers appear far more interested this year in demonstrating that they can disrupt the American electric utility grid than the midterm elections, according to United States intelligence officials and technology company executives....there is surprisingly far more effort directed at implanting malware in the electrical grid.
This week, the Department of Homeland Security reported that over the last year, Russia’s military intelligence agency had infiltrated the control rooms of power plants across the United States. In theory, that could enable it to take control of parts of the grid by remote control....the department cited “hundreds of victims” of the attacks, far more than they had previously acknowledged....
TERRIFYING. Indirectly, Mueller's work may be helping keep them at bay.
Given the indictments this month of 12 Russian military officers who are accused of American election interference, the agency once known as the G.R.U. may be all too aware it is being closely watched by the National Security Agency and other American intelligence services. But that has not completely deterred Russia’s intelligence agencies from targeting politicians.
Senators Maria Cantwell and Lindsey Graham want Trump to order a threat assessment.
A bipartisan duo of U.S. senators is urging Trump to pay more attention to the threat posed by Russia against critical infrastructure like the nation's electric grid, and to provide an analysis of the risk and a plan of action within 90 days.
....they are "concerned about Russia's capabilities with respect to cyberattacks on our energy infrastructure. We believe the federal government needs to take stronger action prioritizing cybersecurity of energy networks and fighting cyber aggression...."
....asks the administration to detail what they are doing to combat Russia's cyber capabilities.
Cantwell and Graham's letter requests that within 90 days the White House produce a written "thorough analysis" of the scope of the threat, prior Russian cyber intrusions, and what the administration is doing to combat these cyber capabilities.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/27/us/politics/russian-hackers-electric-grid-elections-.html