FC: FBI warns that al Qaeda wants to hack U.S. water supply

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 14:40:21 -0800
From: Kevin L. Poulsen <klp () well com>
To: declan () well com
Subject: FBI Issues Water Supply Cyberterror Warning


FBI Issues Water Supply Cyberterror Warning

By Kevin Poulsen

http://www.securityfocus.com/news/0319

Members of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida terrorist network have sought
information on the Web about the networks that U.S. utility companies use to
remotely control water supply distribution and treatment systems, according
to a bulletin issued by the FBI's National Infrastructure Protection Center
(NIPC) Wednesday.

"U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies have received indications
that Al-Qaida members have sought information on Supervisory Control And
Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems available on multiple SCADA-related Web
sites," reads the bulletin. "They specifically sought information on water
supply and wastewater management practices in the U.S. and abroad."

SCADA systems allow utility companies and municipalities to monitor and
direct equipment at unmanned facilities from a central location. Dedicated
communications channels link a control center to hundreds of "remote
terminal units," which in turn control water pumps and other equipment.

The NIPC bulletin went to some 3,000 members of the center's InfraGard
program, an information-sharing partnership between the NIPC and private
industry.

An FBI spokesman emphasized that the bulletin is not a full blown alert. "It
just says be on the lookout," says FBI supervisory special agent Steven
Berry. "There's some information that suggests that they [Al-Quada] are
looking at this... There are potential interests in water supplies, and
other infrastructures."

<snip>





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