US video simulates hacker threat
Updated on 27 September 2007
A government video demonstrating the threat of hackers tapping into the electrical network has been produced in the US.
The leaked film shows an industrial turbine spinning wildly out of control until it becomes a smoking hulk and power shuts down.
It was created by the Idaho National Laboratory, which has studied the risks to the electronic equipment that operates power, water and chemical plants.
Amit Yoran, former US cybersecurity chief for the Bush administration, said: "They've taken a theoretical attack and they've shown in a very demonstrable way the impact you can have using cyber means and cyber techniques against this type of infrastructure.
"We've known about these types of vulnerabilities for some time. But really it's what has been proven in the testing that is captured in this video and that we're watching," said Yoran.
"The challenge is in the next step; what do we do now, how do we better protect America, how do we better protect our infrastructures."
The recorded demonstration was conducted in March by government researchers investigating a dangerous vulnerability in computers at US utility companies.
The programming flaw was quietly fixed and equipment-makers urged utilities to take protective measures.
A top Homeland Security Department official, Robert Jamison, said companies were working to limit such attacks.
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