Model Boat Mayhem

Mess Deck: General Section => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: jaymac on February 09, 2021, 07:08:06 pm

Title: Nasty Hacker
Post by: jaymac on February 09, 2021, 07:08:06 pm

 They don't get much nastier than this
https://www.zdnet.com/article/hacker-modified-drinking-water-chemical-levels-in-a-us-city/?ftag=TRE-03-10aaa6b&bhid=22399896737400685337610746797056&mid=13262151&cid=717308220 (https://www.zdnet.com/article/hacker-modified-drinking-water-chemical-levels-in-a-us-city/?ftag=TRE-03-10aaa6b&bhid=22399896737400685337610746797056&mid=13262151&cid=717308220)

Title: Re: Nasty Hacker
Post by: warspite on February 10, 2021, 08:57:26 am

Maybe they wanted to get to the treatment facility that feeds the Mar-a-largo site, I mean, since the bleach levels are probably too low for a particular resident  %)

Title: Re: Nasty Hacker
Post by: kinmel on February 10, 2021, 06:26:32 pm

This has been the theme in a number of books over the years, why was the control system accessible from off-site?

Title: Re: Nasty Hacker
Post by: Plastic - RIP on February 10, 2021, 07:58:40 pm

Blaming a faceless hacker is cheaper and more scary/acceptable than blaming the municipal unionised worker for their incompetence......  %)

Title: Re: Nasty Hacker
Post by: Peter Fitness on February 11, 2021, 01:44:52 am

Quote from: warspite on February 10, 2021, 08:57:26 am

Maybe they wanted to get to the treatment facility that feeds the Mar-a-largo site, I mean, since the bleach levels are probably too low for a particular resident  %)

Sodium hydroxide is caustic soda, bleach is sodium hypochlorite.


Peter.

Title: Re: Nasty Hacker
Post by: Peter Fitness on February 11, 2021, 01:52:39 am

Quote from: plastic on February 10, 2021, 07:58:40 pm

Blaming a faceless hacker is cheaper and more scary/acceptable than blaming the municipal unionised worker for their incompetence......  %)

If you read the news article you will see that an employee noticed the hacker at work, and was able to reverse the hacker’s input, thus preventing a potentially serious contamination. I don’t regard that as incompetence but good awareness of the situation.


Peter.
 

Title: Re: Nasty Hacker
Post by: malcolmfrary on February 11, 2021, 10:52:49 am

Wasn't this the plot in an NCIS-LA episode a while back?  Except that the bad guys were actually physically inserting their noxious substance.


A few years ago, my local water authority did the job themselves without any outside help.  In the North West we were pre-boiling water for weeks until the system was cleared.

Title: Re: Nasty Hacker
Post by: warspite on February 11, 2021, 10:56:31 am

I didn't say they person knew what the difference was - just altering the effect to the resident as he is having withdrawl problems and may think the different taste is 'bleachy'.  :D

Title: Re: Nasty Hacker
Post by: jaymac on February 11, 2021, 06:58:27 pm

The FBI's take on it


https://www.zdnet.com/article/following-oldsmar-attack-fbi-warns-about-using-teamviewer-and-windows-7/?ftag=TRE-03-10aaa6b&bhid=22399896737400685337610746797056&mid=13264607&cid=717308220 (https://www.zdnet.com/article/following-oldsmar-attack-fbi-warns-about-using-teamviewer-and-windows-7/?ftag=TRE-03-10aaa6b&bhid=22399896737400685337610746797056&mid=13264607&cid=717308220)