This from Roleigh Martin by way of prepare4y2k.com -

From: george grindley Sent: Sunday, March 07, 1999 12:47 AM To: kklewin@cycom.net Subject:Y2K is more serious than some might think

Dear Sylvia,

As the chairman of the state of Georgias' Y2K taskforce for the State House, I have studied the possibilities and contingencies closely. I have had many conversations with National leaders such as Congressman Steven Horn, Newt Gingrich, Bob Barr, to name a few. There are facts that the Government doesn't want you to know. Steve [should be John] Koskinen, the Nations Y2K czar, has instructed each state to prepare their contingency plans to include 18 cities without power for 3 weeks.

The Department of Defense is quite concerned about our power grid on that New Years Eve. The chances are good that there will be attempts made by outside sources to shut our grid down. This system was never encrypted, nor designed to keep experts out.

Sylvia, I must say here that God alone knows how bad or uneventful that evening will be, but we must way [sic] the risk of preparation with the risk of non preparation.

Please call me if I may be of assistance to you.

Yours in service,

George Grindley State Representative, District 35 Marietta, Georgia

Georgia House of Representatives, George Grindley, Jr. http://www2.state.ga.us/Legis/1997_98/house/gash035.htm

Sylvia Klewin wrote that in conversation with Rep. Grindley,

He stated that it is likely that the power grid will be pre-emptively broken-up and "isolated" to prevent collapse of large sections caused by cascading faults. By definition, this would cause many areas to lose all power, because they buy their power from other areas and do not generate their own. This is especially true of rural areas, which would therefore be in the most jeopardy. In addition, nuclear plants may need to be voluntarily shut down if they cannot prove conclusively that they are 100% remediated, due to the extra stringent regulations regarding nuclear power.

Grindley himself recommended extensive preparations, and told me that he is storing a three month supply of food and water for his family.

-- Damon Devine (ddevine@impulse.net), November 28, 1999

Answers

I've been reading this "terrorists/hackers will take down the electrical grid" line for the past few weeks. The press tends to mention "Internet" in the same breath, implying that a hacker could dial up his ISP and somehow gain access to a U.S. power plant. Not likely!! The electrical system predates the IP-based internet, for one thing.

Is there a non-secure, publicly accessible power control network that could be hacked with the right connection? Maybe. I guess they need something to balance power and they probably weren't too worried about high-tech intrusion. But I would guess you'd have to physically connect to it at a utility someplace in the U.S. A little harder to arrange.

Of course, if terrorist really want to get any part of the high-tech world, we're wide open. You can always blow up a few strategic substations, or telephone exchanges, etc. Nothing I know of to stop that. In fact, it's really kind of amazing that we have so little terrorism directed at the U.S.

Does anyone know differently?

-- You Know... (notme@nothere.junk), November 28, 1999.

You Know,

Perhaps you didn't realize the "invitation" you were extending to terrorists. Just so there is no misunderstanding, what is your address? I don't want them showing up in MY neck of the woods by mistake. *wink=-)~

-- Nimbie (Not_In@my.backyard!), November 28, 1999.

Nimby, I don't think they need my invitation :-) But if you hear some spokesperson saying what amounts to "don't talk about these things -- terrorists are too stupid to figure it out by themselves", I think you are hearing a load of BS. The government actually says things like that about encryption -- if we don't export it, it won't get done! Bizarre!

Fortunately, there are lots of bright people in the world outside the U.S.. Unfortunately, some of them probably hate the U.S.....

-- You Know... (notme@nothere.junk), November 28, 1999.

You Know...

I don't "know," but, if you assume that the reports of hackers getting into military/DoD sites is true, then it seems to me that getting into the power grid would be child's play. "Secure" or not, a good hacker would only look at any anti-intrusion measures as a challenge, not a barrier.

Of course, all you have to do to shoot this down is to claim that all those reports we have seen in recent months about hackers invading DoD sites (including the Pentagon, if I remember right) are all lies, published on the web for the purposes of....what?

Remember Melissa?

-- hunter (way@up.north), November 28, 1999.

actually i don't know how they do it, but i heard some pretty frightening info last week on janet parshall's america from a guy (sorry i can't remember his name) who seemed very well credentialed to be discussing this. he talked about chinese scientists with cray computers or the likes who could (if they were so inclined) breech security in US power, chemical, and nuclear plants and put viruses in place that could literally blow them up, cause mishaps, etc.

-- tt (cuddluppy@nowhere.com), November 28, 1999.