This is frightening. A new report says Chinese hackers are trying to take over infrastructure in the U.S.
Quartz reports researcher Kyle WIlhoit set up a bunch of decoy infrastructure sites called “honeypots.” A fake water plant in rural Missouri soon caught the attention of a Chinese military hacking team called APT1.
“I actually watched the attacker interface with the machine,” he told the MIT Technology Review, referring to APT1. “It was 100% clear they knew what they were doing.”
Wilhoit noted to CBSNews.com that systems like power grids and water plants are inherently vulnerable to hacking threats because they’re using outdated technology and don’t necessarily prioritize security. Of the “critical” honeypot attacks—meaning those that could have taken control of the system—half came from China. Examples include turning the pump’s water temperature to 130˚ Fahrenheit and shutting down the system.
This suggests that Chinese hackers are taking control of critical infrastructure. ”These attacks are happening and the engineers likely don’t know,” Wilhoit told MIT Technology Review.
