Yesterday I blogged about a report that the feds spent $100 million in six months to repair computer problems with government systems. Today comes a Wall Street Journal story that provides more detail and scary context. The problems aren’t just from average hackers and tech geeks. It is much more sinister.
Cyberspies have penetrated the U.S. electrical grid and left behind software programs that could be used to disrupt the system, according to current and former national-security officials.
The spies came from China, Russia and other countries, these officials said, and were believed to be on a mission to navigate the U.S. electrical system and its controls. The intruders haven’t sought to damage the power grid or other key infrastructure, but officials warned they could try during a crisis or war.
“The Chinese have attempted to map our infrastructure, such as the electrical grid,” said a senior intelligence official. “So have the Russians.”
