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Pentagon confirms policy of military response to cyberatacks
In a Pentagon report recently made public, the U.S. military confirmed that it would launch physical strikes in response to cyberattacks
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U.K. banks pass cyberdefense stress test
To bolster cyberdefenses in the financial industry, U.K. banks recently took part in a stress test to determine their ability to cope with a cyberattack; eighty-seven banks took participated in the drill including Barclays, HSBC, and Royal Bank of Scotland
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The increasing risks of GPS systems
During a recent meeting of the National Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Advisory Board, participants described how U.S. infrastructure is increasingly at risk due to the widespread use of GPS systems and the presence of interdependencies between different sectors
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Building design lessons from the Christchurch earthquake
A leading infrastructure expert believes an assessment needs to be made of the level of “very rare” earthquake that needs to be considered in structural design, perhaps one with a 10,000 year return period or higher, rather than the 500 year return period that is commonly adopted for many buildings in Australia
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DHS investigates attacks on New Jersey water supply
DHS agents and local authorities in New Jersey are investigating a series of attacks on the West Milford water system; since July there have been more than fifteen attacks on local water and sewage facilities that in some instances have resulted in sewage flooding the street or losses in service all together
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Cyber attacks on critical infrastructure reach U.S.
Most of the U.S. critical infrastructure is run by computers which are connected to the Internet; this makes them susceptible to cyber attacks; a few days ago, the control system of a water pump in Illinois was taken over by a hacker’s remote command, and then deliberately destroyed; what critical infrastructure facilities will hackers – nerdy teenagers, terrorists, or intelligence operatives of other nations – target next?
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Europe faces rare Earth metal shortages
The EU’s ambitious low-carbon energy production goal depends on five technologies: nuclear, solar, wind, bio-energy, and carbon capture; these technologies, in turn, depend on rare Earth metals; the EU estimates that a large-scale deployment of only one of these technologies — solar energy — will require half the current world supply of tellurium and 25 percent of the supply of indium
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Sector Report for Monday, 14 November 2011: Infrastructure protection
This report contains the following stories.
Plus 1 additional story.
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Nations could cripple U.S. with retaliatory cyberattack
Last week Richard Clarke, a top adviser to three presidents, sounded a dire warning that the United States should avoid going to war with other nations because its computer networks systems are so vulnerable to attack
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Smart grid security market to jump to $2 billion in 2016
Analysts project that spending on smart grid security will exceed $2 billion in the next five years; according to ABI Research’s report, titled “Smart Grid Security,” $590 million was spent on securing the smart grid in 2010 and by 2016 that number will rocket to $2 billion
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Protecting infrastructure from natural hazards
Accurate mapping data plays an important role in improving the resilience of the U.K.’s critical infrastructure to disruption from natural hazards
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Chemical industry hit by “Nitro” cyberattacks
In a string of cyberattacks, hackers have stolen critical formulas and plans from major chemical companies; the latest attacks, dubbed “Nitro,” were uncovered by Symanetec, which reported the hackers aims were corporate espionage rather than a terrorist attempt to procure chemicals
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Big asteroid to fly uncomfortably close to Earth
A hefty asteroid — dubbed asteroid 2005 YU55 — will zoom uncomfortable close to Earth on Tuesday, 8 November; the asteroid is classified as a potentially hazardous object, but it poses no threat of an Earth collision — for at least the next 100 years; scientists say the asteroid is a reminder that our planet is just a sitting duck in a cosmic shooting gallery
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DHS warns Anonymous may target critical infrastructure
DHS is warning critical infrastructure operators that the international hacking group known as Anonymous has threatened to attack industrial control systems, the software that governs automated processes for nearly every major utility or production facility including factories, power stations, chemical plants, and pharmacies
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Army engineers need $1 billion to repair damaged levees
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is urgently requesting $1 billion to repair flood control systems along the Mississippi and Missouri river basins following damage from record floods this spring; the historic flooding forced the corps to blow up portions of the levee to relieve pressure, flooding thousands of acres of farmland to protect cities along the rivers
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The long view
Helping Strengthen America’s Critical Infrastructure
Everyday life depends on a robust infrastructure network that provides access to running water, communications technology and electricity, among other basic necessities. The experts who keep our national infrastructure secure and resilient also need a strong network to share their knowledge and train the next generation of professionals capable of solving complex infrastructure challenges.
AI and the Future of the U.S. Electric Grid
Despite its age, the U.S. electric grid remains one of the great workhorses of modern life. Whether it can maintain that performance over the next few years may determine how well the U.S. competes in an AI-driven world.