Hacker attack!

[danalwyn]

An article in the National Journal makes the claim that a 2003 blackout that hit 9,300 square miles on the East Coast of North America was probably caused by a hacker working for China's People's Liberation Army. Moreover, the hacker probably caused the blackout by accident while attempting to map the US power grid, instead of deliberately. As China increasingly probes the US's technological infrastructure, this sort of thing might become more common.

Now, why public utilities have functions that are accessible to the internet is anyone's guess, but I think in the future we should try and get people not to do that anymore.

Comments

[skyshark.livejournal.com]

I think in the future we should try and get people not to do that anymore.

Yes, please.

Jeez, I saw a "Doonesbury" strip like that once. The hacker is showing a girl what he's doing, she says "what happens if I hit this?" He flips out and lunges to stop her--

The next frame is entirely black. "Did I do that?"

"Actually, we were at your house playing 'Scrabble' all evening. Can you remember that?"

[danalwyn.livejournal.com]

You know, we always think those are jokes. Then it turns out they aren't, because people were careless.

Why do these people still get to run things?

[skyshark.livejournal.com]

Sad thing is, it was over 15 years ago. ;)

I guess they do it because they're secretly working from home? O.o Idunno.