The recent hacking of a Ukrainian power plant has once again put a spotlight on the vulnerability of power grids around the world, and especially in the United States, where public infrastructure is lacking in protective measures. The Ukraine incident is the first known blackout caused by a cyber attack.
We have reported on this growing crisis many times over the years. Following Hurricane Sandy in 2012, many were shocked by how easily buildings, power and communications structures were disabled in New York and New Jersey in the storm’s aftermath. Poor infrastructure is not only vulnerable to potential cyber threats, but also to the growing problem of climate change.
Just last week hackers published contact information for 20,000 FBI employees and almost 10,000 Department of Homeland Security employees online.
Coincidentally, the day after the contact information was published, President Obama announced the launch of the Cybersecurity National Action Plan (CNAP), which seeks to increase the security of the federal government’s computer and data systems.
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