Power Grid Failures due to Cyber Attacks?

In India there are many industries faced with cyber-attacks, of which some of the attacks are identified, while others are in suspected stage. Some of these attacks are severe enough to cause re-installation of the system and production loss.

Recent example is a cyber-security breach being suspected as the reason for the recent power grid failure and for the Northeast India crisis.

India's power systems could be vulnerable to crippling cyber attacks on a scale that can have serious implications for national security and economy, an enquiry into the July 30-31 grid collapse that grabbed global attention has said.

There are some analyst saying that it is cyber Attack by a Malware but no Indian Authorities confirmed it yet.

Officials who carried out an audit of critical information infrastructure admit it is "theoretically possible" to cripple India's power grids through a cyber-attack.

According to industry estimates, over the last decade, India has seen an increase in the number of cyber-attacks, from 2,565 in 2008 to 8,266 in 2009 and 10,315 in 2010.

A well-delivered cyber assault can disrupt services to critical users like hospitals and metro rail systems and such an attack may choose to target distribution where the bulk of automation is evident.

There is also increasing evidence that demonstrates the threat of cyber-attacks to critical infrastructure like oil & gas refineries, power grids, hospitals etc. which makes it a must for organizations to evaluate their vulnerabilities and implement a robust security system to counter them.