Could the US lose power if the electrical grid is hacked?

TECHi's Author
Opposing Author Bits Read Source Article
Last Updated
TECHi's Take
Sal McCloskey
Sal McCloskey
  • Words 35
  • Estimated Read 1 min

Infrastructure is arguably the most important component holding together western society. The utility and transportation grids keep us from falling apart in many ways. Could hackers cripple the country with the click of a button?

Bits

Bits

  • Words 77
  • Estimated Read 1 min
Read Article

Over the past few months, the discoveries of two engineers have led to a steady trickle of alarms from the Department of Homeland Security concerning a threat to the nation’s power grid. Yet hardly anyone has noticed.

The advisories concern vulnerabilities in the communication protocol used by power and water utilities to remotely monitor control stations around the country. Using those vulnerabilities, an attacker at a single, unmanned power substation could inflict a widespread power outage.

Source

NOTE: TECHi Two-Takes are the stories we have chosen from the web along with a little bit of our opinion in a paragraph. Please check the original story in the Source Button below.

Balanced Perspective

TECHi weighs both sides before reaching a conclusion.

TECHi’s editorial take above outlines the reasoning that supports this position.

More Two Takes from New York Times

Fiat Chrysler and Google are creating a fleet of autonomous minivans
Fiat Chrysler and Google are creating a fleet of autonomous minivans

Fiat Chrysler is lagging behind the rest of the automotive industry when it comes to autonomous vehicle development, and CEO Sergio…

China wants to build floating nuclear power plants for its new islands
China wants to build floating nuclear power plants for its new islands

I'm sure you've heard about that man-made island chain that China has built in the South China Sea, the one…

Many of Apple’s engineers would rather quit than assist the FBI
Many of Apple’s engineers would rather quit than assist the FBI

Apple's leadership stands behind the company's decision to fight against the government's demands to break the iPhone's encryption, and it…

Obama has finally spoken out about the encryption debate
Obama has finally spoken out about the encryption debate

Ever since Apple refused to assist the FBI in breaking through the iPhone's encryption last month, the United States has been…