"FBI director Chris Wray warned that Chinese hackers are ready to launch a cyber attack on United States infrastructure. Wray said that the Chinese have the 'ability to physically wreak havoc on our critical infrastructure at a time of its choosing'.”
I'm always stunned that we Americans collectively do not give more emphasis and attentio…
"FBI director Chris Wray warned that Chinese hackers are ready to launch a cyber attack on United States infrastructure. Wray said that the Chinese have the 'ability to physically wreak havoc on our critical infrastructure at a time of its choosing'.”
I'm always stunned that we Americans collectively do not give more emphasis and attention to this issue, opting instead to kick the topic down the road for another time and for someone else to deal with while we go about our day working our jobs, playing with social media, and generally assuming that because all is seemingly well, it will remain so. Until it isn't.
I have an uncomfortable feeling that we are living our lives as if it were September 10, and that the 11th will be just another sunny, carefree day. Maybe our experts have an inkling as to what sort of cyberattack might come, on what and where. Maybe not. But the lack of overt attention to the possibilities and public planning for them strikes me as very negligent, and potentially criminally so, if/when the day comes that our electrical grids are taken down. Or our telecommunications system. Or our online capabilities, including banking and commerce. Or control over our water supply. Or our ability to track and monitor aircraft (or anything destructive incoming from abroad).
It's nice to go through life believing that all is well and will continue to be so. Until it isn't. Then watch how quickly people ask why something wasn't done about it sooner and why we were so unprepared. And it won't be just the politicians who come under scrutiny for largely ignoring the huge elephant in the room. Or what will happen if/when our leaders opt to retaliate, and what can come after that, especially if they are less than competent in comparison to our adversaries. Given Wray's informed warning, shouldn't this all be more of a public discussion and a media topic of attention than, say, a new Taylor Swift album?
Here's the thing. Securing infrastructure is expensive. As a society, we'd much rather have large dividends and stock buy-backs by private utilities than spending on something like security. To paraphrase Vonnegut, we could have saved the world but we were too cheap.
This makes me think of risk assessment, where the level of risk is the product of likelihood X severity. The severity you're describing in the self-executing attack would be high. Can you assess or have you read about how likely the attack would be?
There was kind of a fun disaster movie a while back (I love disaster movies) where I think space aliens were attacking and we were having trouble finding a way to avoid them until one of the heroes hit upon pulling old used vehicles out, before computer chips and such, so they couldn't be tracked. When it worked, everyone started looking for the "old ways are good ways" that fly under the radar and the good guys won.
Here's something else to be scared about. You won't be able to refill your generator if the gas station has no electricity to pump the gas out of the underground tank.
I won't disagree with you on this at all. How do we, as government and society, balance the need to stay aware of potential risks and failures, without succumbing to numbing fear? Much like Civil Rights, we seem to think that we have solved or fixed issues, so that when they pop back up, we are surprised. Somehow we need to find a way to keep the public engaged and aware of these so that they are actively part of the solution. Of course, when things go well, however you define that, for a long time, we do settle into a state of complacency.
My feeling is that we should at least have a plan in place for certain critical scenarios -- "what to do if ...". I realize that it is virtually impossible to prepare for every possibility, or to make everyone take it seriously. But having some semblance of structure about how to deal with a potential mass calamity, as opposed to simply reacting to it in real time after it occurs, seems like a good way to put it on the radar screen without instilling panic. Rather we simply acknowledge that we need to be ready if there ever is a worst case scenario, hoping that it never actually occurs. Better some preparedness than none at all.
I very much agree with you on this. There is enough info out there that plans can be put into place for many potential issues. I mean, there was a plan to deal with pandemics that the Trump administration dismantled, to a significant degree, then, boom, COVID and political interference. The plans need to be challenged on a regular basis to eliminate gaps and keep them current. Part of that is to rather strongly encourage private actors to do their part, not just expect government to do this for them.
Western decadence breeds western complacency. The Chinese are counting on that. They can amp up the distractions via TikTok while burrowing zero day exploits deeper and deeper into our infrastructure. We care more about internal culture wars than external national security threats. That’s a very exploitable weakness from where China sits.
Americans literally care more about what kind of dress Bezos’ wife wears to the WH than they do about whether or not the SCADA systems at our water treatment plants across the country are compromised.
Hence my reference to a new Taylor Swift album drop. I have nothing against her, but the fact that so many people regard that as more important to discuss and cover in the media than our preparedness to defend our infrastructure demonstrates, in full view of our adversaries, how easily distracted we are by shiny objects and trinkets and beads. I don't see that ending well for us.
"FBI director Chris Wray warned that Chinese hackers are ready to launch a cyber attack on United States infrastructure. Wray said that the Chinese have the 'ability to physically wreak havoc on our critical infrastructure at a time of its choosing'.”
I'm always stunned that we Americans collectively do not give more emphasis and attention to this issue, opting instead to kick the topic down the road for another time and for someone else to deal with while we go about our day working our jobs, playing with social media, and generally assuming that because all is seemingly well, it will remain so. Until it isn't.
I have an uncomfortable feeling that we are living our lives as if it were September 10, and that the 11th will be just another sunny, carefree day. Maybe our experts have an inkling as to what sort of cyberattack might come, on what and where. Maybe not. But the lack of overt attention to the possibilities and public planning for them strikes me as very negligent, and potentially criminally so, if/when the day comes that our electrical grids are taken down. Or our telecommunications system. Or our online capabilities, including banking and commerce. Or control over our water supply. Or our ability to track and monitor aircraft (or anything destructive incoming from abroad).
It's nice to go through life believing that all is well and will continue to be so. Until it isn't. Then watch how quickly people ask why something wasn't done about it sooner and why we were so unprepared. And it won't be just the politicians who come under scrutiny for largely ignoring the huge elephant in the room. Or what will happen if/when our leaders opt to retaliate, and what can come after that, especially if they are less than competent in comparison to our adversaries. Given Wray's informed warning, shouldn't this all be more of a public discussion and a media topic of attention than, say, a new Taylor Swift album?
Better to be a bit paranoid...overly cautious...concerning China has been stealing American tech breakthroughs for decades.
We have begun making sure that all our camping supplies are up to date and ready. I'm about to add a solar battery charger for phone and tablet.
Here's the thing. Securing infrastructure is expensive. As a society, we'd much rather have large dividends and stock buy-backs by private utilities than spending on something like security. To paraphrase Vonnegut, we could have saved the world but we were too cheap.
This makes me think of risk assessment, where the level of risk is the product of likelihood X severity. The severity you're describing in the self-executing attack would be high. Can you assess or have you read about how likely the attack would be?
OK, I hope they respond.
I'm only comfortable with SCADA that allows remote viewing of status. Any actual control is allowing this kibd of trouble.
There was kind of a fun disaster movie a while back (I love disaster movies) where I think space aliens were attacking and we were having trouble finding a way to avoid them until one of the heroes hit upon pulling old used vehicles out, before computer chips and such, so they couldn't be tracked. When it worked, everyone started looking for the "old ways are good ways" that fly under the radar and the good guys won.
Makes me wonder if generators will become the new ventilators. This is scary stuff.
Here's something else to be scared about. You won't be able to refill your generator if the gas station has no electricity to pump the gas out of the underground tank.
Or if you are without propane delivery for more than a few months. (Solar, anyone? Are we beginning to sound like "preppies...or is it preppers"?)
I won't disagree with you on this at all. How do we, as government and society, balance the need to stay aware of potential risks and failures, without succumbing to numbing fear? Much like Civil Rights, we seem to think that we have solved or fixed issues, so that when they pop back up, we are surprised. Somehow we need to find a way to keep the public engaged and aware of these so that they are actively part of the solution. Of course, when things go well, however you define that, for a long time, we do settle into a state of complacency.
My feeling is that we should at least have a plan in place for certain critical scenarios -- "what to do if ...". I realize that it is virtually impossible to prepare for every possibility, or to make everyone take it seriously. But having some semblance of structure about how to deal with a potential mass calamity, as opposed to simply reacting to it in real time after it occurs, seems like a good way to put it on the radar screen without instilling panic. Rather we simply acknowledge that we need to be ready if there ever is a worst case scenario, hoping that it never actually occurs. Better some preparedness than none at all.
I very much agree with you on this. There is enough info out there that plans can be put into place for many potential issues. I mean, there was a plan to deal with pandemics that the Trump administration dismantled, to a significant degree, then, boom, COVID and political interference. The plans need to be challenged on a regular basis to eliminate gaps and keep them current. Part of that is to rather strongly encourage private actors to do their part, not just expect government to do this for them.
Western decadence breeds western complacency. The Chinese are counting on that. They can amp up the distractions via TikTok while burrowing zero day exploits deeper and deeper into our infrastructure. We care more about internal culture wars than external national security threats. That’s a very exploitable weakness from where China sits.
Americans literally care more about what kind of dress Bezos’ wife wears to the WH than they do about whether or not the SCADA systems at our water treatment plants across the country are compromised.
Hence my reference to a new Taylor Swift album drop. I have nothing against her, but the fact that so many people regard that as more important to discuss and cover in the media than our preparedness to defend our infrastructure demonstrates, in full view of our adversaries, how easily distracted we are by shiny objects and trinkets and beads. I don't see that ending well for us.