2021-03-25, 10:37:04
Yes, I am beating the drum again about vulnerabilities to the power grid. My apologies for continuing to focus on this subject. My only defense is that, having studied the issue closely for several years I really do believe its a subject which should be of interest to all HAM's.
The report I'm offering here, can be downloaded for free. It is an older study but the fact reinforces the fact that the threats described still exist and in fact have increased in scope, complexity and potential. Grid security is being tightened and enhanced, but there is an ongoing foot race between attackers and security forces. Recent sophisticated and successful attacks on the actual security software used to protect vital infrastructure prove the point that the grid is vulnerable.
For HAM's there are two basic elements to consider with regard to a operating during a wide area, long duration disruption to grid power. 1) Our ability to operate off-grid for a sustained period, 2) Physical operator support including food, water, shelter, heat etc.
As I have made clear from my interest in Community Mesh Networks, I believe we can do a good deal to promote sustainable long term communications within communities. Communications are of the very centre of any emergency response and so, I feel that devising such community base emergency communications networks can go a long way towards helping people, help themselves.
As HAM's we form a unique community which could be essential to our communities in a major blackout event. Not only would such an event challenge us to support served agencies, but also to support each other as well as our immediate communities.
For those who have not researched how the 2019 California wild fire experience impacted communities in the affected areas, I encourage you do so. Countless valuable lessons were learned about how quickly gasoline for generators became unavailable. Given that example alone I think that building an emergency plan based around having gasoline for generators might not be flawed. There are options to gas generators which I'll be sharing in future posts and not all are solar.
The example of how many people coped in California with a prolonged loss of power should not be wasted. There are many such examples which can be found all over the world, especially in less developed countries where living without power is a daily reality.
The pdf mentioned above is attached.
Cyber Threat and Vulnerability Analysis of the U.S. Electric Sector.pdf (Size: 1.12 MB / Downloads: 0)
The report I'm offering here, can be downloaded for free. It is an older study but the fact reinforces the fact that the threats described still exist and in fact have increased in scope, complexity and potential. Grid security is being tightened and enhanced, but there is an ongoing foot race between attackers and security forces. Recent sophisticated and successful attacks on the actual security software used to protect vital infrastructure prove the point that the grid is vulnerable.
For HAM's there are two basic elements to consider with regard to a operating during a wide area, long duration disruption to grid power. 1) Our ability to operate off-grid for a sustained period, 2) Physical operator support including food, water, shelter, heat etc.
As I have made clear from my interest in Community Mesh Networks, I believe we can do a good deal to promote sustainable long term communications within communities. Communications are of the very centre of any emergency response and so, I feel that devising such community base emergency communications networks can go a long way towards helping people, help themselves.
As HAM's we form a unique community which could be essential to our communities in a major blackout event. Not only would such an event challenge us to support served agencies, but also to support each other as well as our immediate communities.
For those who have not researched how the 2019 California wild fire experience impacted communities in the affected areas, I encourage you do so. Countless valuable lessons were learned about how quickly gasoline for generators became unavailable. Given that example alone I think that building an emergency plan based around having gasoline for generators might not be flawed. There are options to gas generators which I'll be sharing in future posts and not all are solar.
The example of how many people coped in California with a prolonged loss of power should not be wasted. There are many such examples which can be found all over the world, especially in less developed countries where living without power is a daily reality.
The pdf mentioned above is attached.
Cyber Threat and Vulnerability Analysis of the U.S. Electric Sector.pdf (Size: 1.12 MB / Downloads: 0)