Russian Cyber Attack on U.S. Energy Companies

Group Linked to Russia Infects U.S. Energy Companies in Cyber Attack

The industrial control systems of hundreds of European and U.S. energy companies have been infected by a sophisticated cyber weapon operated by a state-backed group with apparent ties to Russia, according to a leading U.S. online security group.
The powerful piece of malware known as “Energetic Bear” allows its operators to monitor energy consumption in real time, or to cripple physical systems such as wind turbines, gas pipelines and power plants at will.
The well-resourced organisation behind the cyber attack is believed to have compromised the computer systems of more than 1,000 organisations in 84 countries in a campaign spanning 18 months. The malware is similar to the Stuxnet computer programme created by the US and Israel that succeeded in infecting and sabotaging Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities two years ago.
The latest attacks are a new deployment of malware that was first monitored by IT security companies at the beginning of the year.
Early infections by Energetic Bear appeared to be based solely around espionage.
Symantec, a U.S. cyber security company, said on Monday, however, that it had identified a virulent new “attack vector” designed to give the malware control over physical systems themselves.
Symantec said the group behind Energetic Bear, who they have dubbed Dragonfly, succeeded last year in infecting three leading specialist manufacturers of industrial control systems. Dragonfly then inserted the malware covertly into the legitimate software updates those companies sent to clients.
As clients downloaded the updates, their industrial control systems become infected. Contaminated software from one of the companies was downloaded to more than 250 industrial systems.
The malware is said to have indiscriminately infected hundreds of organisations, but by filtering infections to see where it is in regular contact with its command and control servers, Symantec said it had a clear picture of where Dragonfly’s interests lie.
According to Symantec, which produces the Norton range of antivirus software, Energetic Bear is most actively in use in Spain and the US, followed by France, Italy and Germany.
Symantec said it believed that Dragonfly was “based in eastern Europe and has all the markings of being state-sponsored”.
Stuart Poole-Robb, a former MI6 and military intelligence officer and founder of KCS Group, a security consultancy, said: “To target a whole sector like this at the level they are doing just for strategic data and control speaks of some form of government sanction.
“These are people working with Fapsi [Russia’s electronic spying agency]; working to support mother Russia.”
Timestamps and Cyrillic text and names within the code for Energetic Bear indicate the malware’s origins are in Russia, although attributing cyber attacks is far from an exact science.
For example, Chinese hackers, who have also been involved in energy-related espionage in the past, have been known to route their attacks through Russia to provide cover for their activities.
—By The Financial Times’ Sam Jones
http://securethegrid.com/2014/07/02/energy-companies-hit-by-cyberattack-from-russia-linked-group/

Solar Generator

Multiple Threats to U.S. Power Grid

NSA Director, “China Could Damage U.S. Power Grid”

WASHINGTON –  The head of the NSA issued a blunt warning Thursday to lawmakers: China can shut down the United States.

The grim forecast came from Admiral Michael Rogers, the director of the National Security Agency and commander of the U.S .Cyber Command. Rogers said he believed China along with “one or two” other countries had the capability to successfully launch a cyber-attack that could shut down the electric grid in parts of the United States.

Rogers reiterated that if the U.S. remains on the defensive, it would be a “losing strategy.”
Speaking to the House Intelligence Committee, the NSA director said the cyber threat was “so real,” and that agreeing to an international code, a sort of “laws of law” in the cyber realm is urgent.

The possibility of such cyber attacks by U.S. adversaries has been widely known, but never confirmed publicly by the nation’s top cyber official.

At a House hearing, Rogers says U.S. adversaries are performing electronic “reconnaissance,” on a regular basis so that they can be in a position to attack the industrial control systems that run everything from chemical facilities to water treatment plants…

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/11/20/nsa-director-china-can-damage-us-power-grid/

Be prepared for emergencies and disasters with a Solar Generator

Solar Power Generators: Don't Rely On Gas Generators During a Disaster!

As the owner of Be Prepared Solar I am often asked, “why should I have a solar power generator? Why not use a gas generator instead?” I will address exactly why I believe that a solar generator is the right decision for you, especially during an emergency.

When the power goes out we usually feel helpless, searching frantically for the flashlights and candles. Some people try to be prepared for a blackout by buying a gas generator. While the gas powered generators do provide power, they do have a lot of issues that may not make them the best choice for you and your family.

Gas generators emit fumes that are annoying and hazardous. Because of this they have to be used outside and can be inconvenient and noisy. The other, and most serious problem is that during a disaster gas is almost always in short supply.

Lets take an example from Super Storm Sandy. When Sandy hit the East Coast it left millions of people without power. The power outage lasted for weeks in some areas and to make matters worse, gas was nearly impossible to get. If you were lucky, you would wait in line for hours and were only allowed to get half a tank. 

Unfortunately, this gas shortage caused people who relied solely on a gas generator for power to be left in the dark.
Solar power generators do not use gas, have no harmful or annoying fumes and can be used indoors. They are extremely quiet and the only noise they make is when a quiet fan turns on, occasionally, to keep the system cool.

Our solar generators can also be recharged with a wall ac outlet or a gas generator in addition to the solar panels.
So, do your family a favor and be prepared for any type of power outage before it’s too late!

Solar Generators

ISIS Threatens To Destroy U.S Power Grid

The US power grid is extremely vulnerable to failure from storms, heat waves, and now terror attacks.  Christopher Mark Heben, a former Navy Seal, tells Fox News Insider, “The power grid is amazingly easy to dismantle…As an unconventional warfare specialist, I was trained to dismantle and take down power grids in other countries. Believe me, it doesn’t take a doctorate from MIT to figure it out.”

Now, ISIS has threatened to destroy the US power grid. Here is an excerpt from Inquisitr.com that explains the situation:

“ISIS is threatening to destroy the power grid, which would likely cause a tens of millions of deaths. The power grid failure itself would not kill Americans, but what will likely happen in the days that follow. Politicians in Washington, D.C. have long been warned about the vulnerabilities of the country’s most fragile piece of infrastructure – bills designed to address the matter still languish in committee.

Former government officials are fearful that ISIS militants are “poised” to attack the power grid, according to News Oklahoma. If the power grid fails, tractor-trailers would no longer be able to haul food or medicine around the nation, hospital generators would run dry, police, fire departments, and EMS squads would be left with non-functioning vehicle. Fires would rage unchecked as overwhelmed firefighters struggle to keep up with the need, police officers would become overly-taxed as well when civil unrest begins. The Ferguson riots would likely see calm compared what could occur when grocery stores run out of food and credit cards and ATM machines are deemed useless.
Dr. Peter Pry, one of the foremost experts on the power grid in the United States, had this to say about ISIS power grid threats during a Wednesday press conference with other learned electrical system researchers:

“Inadequate grid security, a porous U.S.- Mexico border, and a fragile transmission system make the electric grid a target for ISIS.”

Pry went on to state that ISIS fighters would not even need to venture into the United States to take down the power grid. He believes the Islamic State militants could hire Mexican gangs, such as the Knights Templar, to do the job for them. The same gang has reportedly taken out the power network in 11 Mexican cities using nothing more than conventional weapons.
Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/1450711/isis-power-grid-threat-voiced-by-electrical-system-experts/#GSftGgGFJkkrGJIr.99

This is why having a solar power generator makes sense. If the grid goes down from a terror attack people will be flocking like mad to gas stations and it would be extremely difficult or even impossible to get fuel for a gas generator.
Solar power is the best way to go when preparing for any kind of disaster. They do not require gas and don’t emit harmful fumes and they are extremely quiet.

Solar Generators