Fergie's Tech Blog

Hackers May Lose Nuclear Option

Kevin Poulsen writes on 27B Stroke 6:

The nuclear power industry is going digital -- replacing mechanical systems with more efficient, networked computer-controls. If that makes you nervous in a season-four-of-24 kinda way, you're not alone. Last week, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission voted unanimously to add cyber security requirements to federal regulations governing nuclear power plant security.

The new language, which will face a public comment period before taking effect, requires plant operators to "implement a cyber-security program that provides high assurance that computer systems, which if compromised would likely adversely impact safety, security and emergency preparedness, are protected from cyber attacks."

I'd give this a glowing review, but for the word "likely", which was a last-minute change. It's actually hand-written on the document, by the hand of someone who presumably thought it would be overly burdensome to make energy companies protect systems that might possibly, conceivably or theoretically impact safety.

posted by Fergie @ 7/06/2006 01:55:00 PM