The alleged manifestation of physical security hazards to critical infrastructure assets.
Enabled, it seems at least in part, by radicalisation among the local population.
Not ideal when we’re talking about the most critical type of critical infrastructure sector.
Substations in Florida broken into in September alone:
- Duke’s Bay Ridge on 10/9 and 13/9
- Orange Blossom on 18/9
- Duke’s East Clearwater on 20/9 (--> 2-min outage)
- Zephyrhills on 21/9
- Zephyrhills North on 21/9 (--> 9-min outage)
I wonder why FERC has ordered the drafting of such a report.
'According to a report on grid security compiled by a power industry cyber clearinghouse, obtained by POLITICO, a total of 1,665 security incidents involving the U.S. and Canadian power grids occurred last year. That count included 60 incidents that led to outages, 71 percent more than in 2021.
'But law enforcement officers investigating alleged plots against the grid don’t necessarily alert the Energy Department or other regulatory bodies.
Fair to say, reporting thresholds need to be amended or at least trusted channels for reporting attacks, that may not meet existing reporting thresholds, to the Energy Department, need to be put in place.
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/09/10/power-grid-attacks-00114563
The FBI is offering a reward for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the person or group responsible for an attack on an electrical substation in Torrance, California, in 2023.
'In June 2022 ... a 261-page document titled “Hard Reset,” which includes specific directions on how ... to disrupt electricity.
'Power companies reported 185 physical attacks or threats on grid infrastructure in 2023, more than double the number from 2021 ...
'Strategic blackouts could affect voting locations or impact the certification of elections ...
'Police identified one suspect who’d worked closely with substation transformers while working for another power company and who’d told friends about his connections to the Moore County Citizens for Freedom.
'The NERC recently involved more than 250 participants in an emergency simulation that assessed grid reliability ...
Physical security controls for US electricity infrastructure should have been strengthened years ago. Aligned with market incentives of energy and transmission companies because they can't sell services with destroyed/damaged assets.
https://archive.md/YGmmf
I missed this from July: 'Three men were sentenced today for various conspiracy and firearms offenses in connection with a racially-motivated scheme to destroy an energy facility'.
’Philippi researched previous attacks on electric substations and concluded that attacking with firearms would not be sufficient. Philippi, therefore, planned to use a drone with explosives attached to it and to fly the drone into the substation.
’While driving, Philippi ordered a plastic explosive composition known as C-4 and other explosives from the UCEs. Philippi later purchased black powder to be used in pipe bombs, which Philippi intended to use during the attack on the substation’.
Another one, allegedly.
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/man-arrested-and-charged-attempting-use-weapon-mass-destruction-and-destroy-energy-facility
Skyler Philippi, 24, of Columbia, Tennessee, was arrested by federal agents and charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and attempting to destroy an energy facility.
‘… climbed a substation transformer … during what police say was a mental health episode.
‘… led to authorities cutting power to more than 800 homes to prevent the woman from being electrocuted’.
Physical security matters in CNI.
https://www.abc4.com/news/digital-exclusives/800-homes-lose-power-trespass/
Well, we’ve had Pro-Palestine/Anti-Israel entities targeting DIB facilities and ports in the West.
Add electricity assets to the list.
On top of the targeting over the years of said assets in the US by white nationalists/far-right entities.
Physical security matters!
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/jordanian-national-pleads-guilty-explosives-threats-and-attack-energy-facility
The conspirator's been convicted: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/white-supremacist-leader-found-guilty-conspiring-destroy-regional-power-grid
In Western electricity sectors (since the West is home to an assortment of terrorists), the larger threat to OT isn't cyber, rather weather and sabotage.
And the US has had a number of (successful) attempts at sabotage of electricity OT in the past few years.
Physical security matters, especially for electricity infrastructure in the US of A.
Peter Karasev, 38, a U.S. citizen residing in San Jose, pleaded guilty in the Northern District of California today to federal charges related to two separate bombings of PG&E electrical transformers in late 2022 and early 2023.
Ravi Nayyar
