A spate of reports in recent days has put the media’s attention back on the security of the energy sector and critical infrastructure more broadly. Notably: this CNN report that cites NSA director Admiral Mike Rogers telling the audience at a power grid security conference in San Antonio, Texas in October that “power… is one of the segments that concerns me the most.” What’s changed? For one: the uptick in ICS-specific malware like BlackEnergy. A spate of attacks based on that malware and others have targeted critical infrastructure players in recent months. According to a confidential memo obtained by CNN, the FBI and DHS are now traveling the country to warn utilities and other critical infrastructure owners about targeted attacks on industrial control systems. Some of those attacks are exploiting previously unknown (or “zero day”) vulnerabilities in ICS systems, CNN reported. The U.S. Government has been warning about the threat of cyber attacks on […]
