US government officials have played down
reports that Chinese and Russian cyber spies have hacked and left
malware capable of bringing down the US electricity supply
grid.
US homeland security secretary Janet Napolitano
declined to confirm the attacks reported by the Wall Street
Journal this week.
According to Reuters, she said her department and energy
supplies had been aware of vulnerability for years. "We acknowledge
that in this world, in an increasingly cyber world, these are
increasing risks," she said.
The
National Security Strategy of the UK, published last year,
found terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, international
organised crime, climate change and influenza were greater threats
than hackers to the national infrastructure.
Quoting current and former national security officials, the Wall
Street Journal said intruders had not yet damaged the electricity
grid or other critical national networks, but could, especially in
a crisis, or during a war.
According to a former Department of Homeland Security official
quoted by the paper, the infiltration appeared pervasive across the
US. "There are intrusions, and they are growing. There were a lot
last year," he told the Wall Street Journal.
According to the Journal, US intelligence agencies rather than
the companies themselves had detected the attacks and the malware.
Intelligence officials are worried that cyber attackers could use
the internet to take control of electricity generation and
distribution plant, a nuclear power plant or financial
networks.
Russian and Chinese diplomats denied any wrongdoing. Power
companies said their infosecurity systems met federal
standards.
The Obama administration is reviewing US cybersecurity standards
as part of an overall review of IT in the US.
President Obama has also said the US should revamp its entire
electricity supply system to introduce a "smart grid". The US
Department of
Energy is researching the costs and benefits of implementing smart
grids.
The Department of Energy said a smart grid would integrate
advanced functions into the nation's electric grid to enhance
reliability, efficiency, and security, and would also cut carbon
emissions. This would be done by modernising the electric grid with
more use of technologies such as microprocessors, communications,
advanced computing and information technologies.