Washington Post posted a catchy headline:
Electrical grid can be hacked also in USA – and it was hacked. But this headline is making thing to look more dangerous than what the actual incident was.
Also Reuters reported it:
Code associated with Russia hacking found on Vermont utility computer
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia-cyber-vermont-idUSKBN14K01H
So after several news outlets I posted link to this article here.
But after new hours the scoop was categorized as “FAKE NEWS”
Fake news? The Russians did not hack the U.S. power grid – TheBlaze
The end question is was this whole thing complete fake? Or was this bad reporting that one malware finding (which could have been false positive) on computer not connected to grid was reported as hack to electrical grid? Hard to say for sure.
It seems that you can’t trust what major news outlets are writing anymore…
2 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
Vermont Utility Refutes Reports of Russia Hacking U.S. Electric Grid
http://www.securityweek.com/vermont-utility-refutes-reports-russia-hacking-us-electric-grid
U.S. officials told the press that Russia hacked into the country’s electric grid, but the affected utility said it had only found malware on one device that was not connected to the grid.
The Washington Post on Saturday cited anonymous U.S. officials claiming that Russian hackers breached the electric grid. The article, titled “Russian hackers penetrated U.S. electric grid through a utility in Vermont,” led to several politicians making alarming statements on Russia and hackers.
The Vermont utility referenced by The Washington Post, the Burlington Electric Department, published a statement refuting the claims.
“There is no indication that either our electric grid or customer information has been compromised,” the Vermont utility stated. “Media reports stating that Burlington Electric was hacked or that the electric grid was breached are false.”
Burlington Electric Department Statement: No Indication that Electric Grid or Customer Information Compromised
https://www.burlingtonelectric.com/news/3910/Burlington-Electric-Department-Statement%3A-No-Indication-that-Electric-Grid-or-Customer-Information-Compromised
Federal officials have indicated that the specific type of Internet traffic, related to recent malicious cyber activity that was reported by us yesterday, also has been observed elsewhere in the country and is not unique to Burlington Electric. It’s unfortunate that an official or officials improperly shared inaccurate information with one media outlet, leading to multiple inaccurate reports around the country.
we want our community to know that there is no indication that either our electric grid or customer information has been compromised. Media reports stating that Burlington Electric was hacked or that the electric grid was breached are false.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Related posting
http://www.epanorama.net/newepa/2016/12/31/russia-hysteria-infects-washpost-again-false-story-about-hacking-u-s-electric-grid/