Smart Grid may be Hacked to Generate Blackouts

[Robert E. Seastrom]

John Teller <jsteller at spottydog.us> writes:

> I think it would be difficult if not impossible to drive your
> car up to a dam or sewage processor these days and open the SCADA
> controlled flood gates with some junk you bought off eBay.

More like "fabricated yourself" or "got as samples", yes, possibly off eBay.

SCADA stuff is just plain scary.  It remains so, despite the best
efforts of people to sound the alarm.  Authentication, when it exists
at all, tends to be static password.  Not even a whiff of strong crypto.

> Yes, there will always be cases of arrogance, ignorance and just
> plain incompetence, but I think (I hope) everyone has learned from
> the BPL debacle.  That's not to say that the ARRL Et. Al. shouldn't
> continue to hold the manufacturer's feet to the fire, but I just
> don't see where people should start to panic.

The problem is much wider than Part 15 compliance.  ARRL probably
doesn't have a dog in the fight.

-r