[Full-Disclosure] Re: Fwd: Computers crashed just before blackout

From: Juergen Schmidt (ju_at_ct.heise.de)
Date: 08/30/03

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    To: full-disclosure@lists.netsys.com
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 19:43:49 +0200 (CEST)

    > Subject: Re: [Full-Disclosure] Fw: Computers crashed just before blackout
    > To: Geoff Shively <gshively@pivx.com>
    > Cc: full-disclosure@lists.netsys.com
    > Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2003 18:25:05 -0400 (EDT)
    >
    >
    > (notes below...)
    > > ----- Original Message -----
    > > From: "Richard M. Smith" <rms@computerbytesman.com>
    > > > http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/106207424774610.xml
    > > > Computers crashed just before blackout
    > > > ...
    >
    > Yep, looks like the HMI systems (that allow the humans to see warnings and
    > critical situations) and to manually reroute power went down.
    >
    > Bet you 30,000 quatros that those HMI systems communicated to the SCADA
    > systems via DCOM.
    > ...

    You might be interested in an article we published last week: 

    ---
Did the Worm Topple the Power Grid?
The IT Safety of the US Power Supply
By now, the cause of the massive blackout in the United States has been
more or less been determined. But for several days after the blackout, the
cause of the domino effect that pushed 21 power stations offline remained
obscure. Numerous leads pointed to a link between the events and the
W32.Lovsan worm that was simultaneously ravaging the Internet. Even if the
ongoing investigations should eventually come to a different conclusion,
once thing is certain: The IT systems of the energy utility companies are
vulnerable.
http://www.heise.de/ct/english/03/18/034/
bye, ju
-- 
Juergen Schmidt   Leitender Redakteur/senior editor  c't magazin
Heise Zeitschriften Verlag,  Helstorferstr. 7,  D-30625 Hannover
Tel. +49 511 5352 300 FAX +49 511 5352 417  EMail ju@ct.heise.de
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