07-08-2017 , 08:15 PM
The U.S. Department of Energy said on Friday it is helping U.S. firms defend against a hacking campaign that targeted power companies including at least one nuclear plant, saying the attacks have not impacted electricity generation or the grid.
News of the attacks surfaced a week ago when Reuters reported that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation issued a June 28 alert to industrial firms, warning them of hacking targeting the nuclear, power and critical infrastructure sectors.
"DOE is working with our government and industry partners to mitigate any impact from a cyber intrusion affecting entities in the energy sector," a Department of Energy representative said in an email to Reuters. "At this time, there has been no impact to systems controlling U.S. energy infrastructure. Any potential impact appears to be limited to administrative and business networks."
It was not clear who was responsible for the hacks. The joint report by the DHS and the FBI did not identify the attackers, though it described the hacks as "an advanced persistent threat," a term that U.S. officials typically but not always use to describe attacks by culprits.
The DOE discussed its response to the attacks after Bloomberg News reported on Friday that the Wolf Creek nuclear facility in Kansas was among at least a dozen U.S. power firms breached in the attack, citing current and former U.S. officials who were not named.
A representative with the Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corp declined to say if the plant was hacked, but said it continued to operate safely.
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News of the attacks surfaced a week ago when Reuters reported that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation issued a June 28 alert to industrial firms, warning them of hacking targeting the nuclear, power and critical infrastructure sectors.
"DOE is working with our government and industry partners to mitigate any impact from a cyber intrusion affecting entities in the energy sector," a Department of Energy representative said in an email to Reuters. "At this time, there has been no impact to systems controlling U.S. energy infrastructure. Any potential impact appears to be limited to administrative and business networks."
It was not clear who was responsible for the hacks. The joint report by the DHS and the FBI did not identify the attackers, though it described the hacks as "an advanced persistent threat," a term that U.S. officials typically but not always use to describe attacks by culprits.
The DOE discussed its response to the attacks after Bloomberg News reported on Friday that the Wolf Creek nuclear facility in Kansas was among at least a dozen U.S. power firms breached in the attack, citing current and former U.S. officials who were not named.
A representative with the Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corp declined to say if the plant was hacked, but said it continued to operate safely.
Full Article