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[WEEK 12] Energy Cybersecurity

Today, our life cannot exist without energy. In XXI century, electricity is a fundamental thing like a water. Of course, we are talking about civilized countries. Unfortunately, there are still places without running water or power. In Poland are places where people take water from the well and they don’t have sewerage.

 PressTV, MP/MHB

 Let’s focus on the energy. Everything in the contemporary world is dependent of energy. From ordinary bulb to big data centre or manufactory . What would happen when a car factory  stopped working of energy fault ? Such situation was in VW factory in Wolfsburg this year. Four backup generators didn’t help. Every minute break in production caused great costs. VW spokesman didn’t want to talk about financial losses. This is just one example. It’s fair to say that we are addicted to energy. Power failures can be triggered by a variety events, from natural disaster to the cyber-attack by some hacker.  Yes, more IT in power grids make them easier to hack. Modern smart-meters have simple communication by TCP/IP or GSM. It’s not stand-alone electricity generation units, it’s networked devices now. Cities are more “smart”.
National Geographic produced fantastic documental movie called “American Blackout”. It shows one week without energy in all the USA, after cyber attack on the electric grid.  The beginning is very funny, because people are happy. We don’t have to go to work, people go outside, meet with friends, neighbours etc. Refrigerators and cookers are not working, so people make barbecue. After 2-3 days they begin to struggle for food. Crime rises, people are scared. In last days military enters the streets. When energy return, people are happy as kids. 


Cyber attack could be a very big problem in the future. Very close future. We are protected for a few hour or few days. Any systems, factories, devices aren’t secure for long lack of power. 
Lately, time energy security is very popular subject in European Union. Politicians talk about energy independence, self- sufficiency. Last week Donald Tusk talk about Energy Union in Europe without materials like gas from Russia. Is it possible ?


Secured or not-secured power grid is the basis of today’s world. Every serious blackouts could devastate the economy and cause a large-scale loss of life.
At the end take a look on our electricity and Earth, it’s beautiful.


Questions:
Are you aware of the risks of cyber attacks ?
Can you imagine the world without electricity ?
Do you have any longer problems with power outage ?

Sources:



Comments

I’m not scared because of cyber-attack, but disturbing is that the most of today devices are connected to internet and it’s easy to taking control on which of them. In the future it would be a big problem, for example in hacking of power generator and shut it down and cutting off people from energy supplies blackmailing them. The most important thing is that we must be very well prepared for this kind of aggression.

The World without electricity? At the beginning it would be a bloody panic, cause people has too much accustom from it, but in time they’ll probably get used to live without energy. In not far past, and I’m saying here about XIX century, the common people hadn’t electricity and they somehow lived without it.

I haven’t noticed any power outage since two years, but when it comes I not worried so much, I simply going to do something different than using PC or something like that.
I agree with you Patrick about Internet and I want to add that cyber-attack often use the Internet. Yes, bloody panic is a good term. In XIX century ordinary people didn't know electricity, then it's easier. Electricity is not only a PC, without it you don't have for example running water because water pomps need current.
Kacper K said…
Are you aware of the risks of cyber-attacks?
Yes, I am aware of the possibility of a cyber-attack. In my opinion, nowadays this way of attack is very dangerous. Nearly the whole world relies on computers and operating systems. For example a hacker or group of hackers may within a few minutes change our lives. They can do a transfer our entire savings. Therefore, in my opinion, you should not keep all your belongings in a online bank.
Can you imagine the world without electricity?
I cannot imagine the today’s world without electricity or without electronics. This is not possible. Electricity is absolutely essential to life at the moment.
Do you have any longer problems with power outage?
No, I have never had problems with the long absence of electricity.
Thanks for comment Kacper. Exacly, I agree with your opinion, electricity is essential to life. Online banking is very dangerous area, Even inability to card payment for few hours, would result losses of millions dollars.
Sylwia said…

I can’t imagine World without electricity. However power outage for maximum 3 days would be great adventure and efficient rest for me. I remember one day at work that there was no electricity in the building for almost whole day. We still could do some things as we all have laptops, but there was not Internet connection, which we couldn’t overcome. After some time we were free to go home ☺
Kasia Kmieć said…
Personally I'm not scared of cyber-attacks but if I ran a company, especially based on computers, I'd take all the necessary steps to avoid such attacks. It's quite disturbing that our society and all the modern world depend on technology, computer and the Internet. The situation when it all falls down or even breaks for a few hours resembles a catastrophe. And I don't mean us not being able to check FB or update Twitter. The financial institutions, markets, water systems and other essential institutions may fail because of the blackmail. Just imagine the consequences when people can't use their bank accounts for a day, just because someone decided to attack this particular website.
I cannot imagine the world without electricity. Like I said before, too much depends on it. I usually don't have problems with power outage, at least not long term. When it occurs it's only for an hour or so.
Sylwia you're right, haha.We could be free from work or school and can go home. I remembered my smile on face when someone has called to my school with bomb information. In peak moment, it was three times a week .

Computer companies actually are trying to be secured. However in my opinion IT firm generally is safe on show, to get ISO, some certificate, to have prestige etc. The most they only look for profit. Of course not all of them.
Unknown said…
I am not so scared of cyber attacks, but if I would be a big company that relay mostly on IT i probably wood.

Guys .... did you watch that movie American Blackout 2013 made by National Geographic. This power blackout is something really bad. It paralyze entire city. Crime rises, traffic light do not work. People in elevators get trapped... In one of the scene in this movie shows how some guy tries to get out from elevator and jump, but the gap is to big and he simple fall down. Very dramatic. Big cities really struggle without electricity.

I do not remember a longer problems with power outage. Usually few hours and not even a day.
alt_pl said…
Are you aware of the risks of cyber attacks ?
I am very aware because safety is my hobby and passion.

Can you imagine the world without electricity ?
Yes, I am prepared for that in worst-case scenario. I have small electricity generator at my parent's home.

Do you have any longer problems with power outage ?
Not longer than few hours. They weren't problem for me. It was problem for refrigerator because all products inside melted and made mess.
Unknown said…
The energy cybersecurity is a risk, but also it's quite well managed. Energy systems are to a fairly high degree secured from such issues and possible to function without connection to external networks. Of course they are vulnerable to sabotage, but even in that case the risk is fairly small. Also, I believe this issue will be much limited once the world will move to distributed self-dependent power grids, such as private renewable energy generators, which is the way to go anyway once green energy technologies mature and become more economically (and legally) viable.
Unknown said…
Are you aware of the risks of cyber attacks?
I think I am.
Can you imagine the world without electricity?
Yes. Why not? People lived without electricity long time ago and they survived somehow so why don't we?
Do you have any longer problems with power outage?
Maximum few hours but I don't remember when it happend.
Alt_pl power outage is good moment for defrosting the refrigerator and washing them :)

Wiktor very cool that you saw American Blackout, i agree with you that everything looks very dramatic. Luckily,I think that Poland is not in danger as U.S. We don't have many enemies.
I must admit I am not very aware about cyber attacks, although I am not very intimidate by them. Of course it's true that now most devices are connected to the internet and therefore can be hacked into. On the other hand security in IT is heavily developed.
A world without electricity? No way! xD After some time people would probably get used to it, but I definitely don't want to!
Unknown said…
Are you aware of the risks of cyber attacks ?
Not really but I wouldnt be happy losing all my money though.
Can you imagine the world without electricity ?
Of course! I love apocalipse and zombie movies.
Do you have any longer problems with power outage ?
Next month Im going to Norway. To forest. Taking my tent.
Unknown said…
Of course I Am afraid in my opinion more than 50% power plants, hadn't have any protection from cyber attacks. For example virus "Stuxnet" , he was made to attack Iran power plants, especially collect data from their.
I dream about the world without electricity. For this, i might abandon all my electric gadgets.
Once i had problems with power outage. It was when i've been on vacation `with my grandmother, after storm, we had 3 days power outages

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