Russian operation hacked a Vermont utility, showing risk to U.S. electrical grid security, officials say

[mystery-ak]

 By Juliet Eilperin and Adam Entous December 30 at 10:30 PM

A code associated with the Russian hacking operation dubbed Grizzly Steppe by the Obama administration has been detected within the system of a Vermont utility, according to U.S. officials.

While the Russians did not actively use the code to disrupt operations, according to officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a security matter, the discovery underscores the vulnerabilities of the nation’s electrical grid. And it raises fears in the U.S. government that Russian government hackers are actively trying to penetrate the grid to carry out potential attacks.

more
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/russian-hackers-penetrated-us-electricity-grid-through-a-utility-in-vermont/2016/12/30/8fc90cc4-ceec-11e6-b8a2-8c2a61b0436f_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_electrichack-810pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.74f5baacf97c

[Suppressed]

That's okay. Russians are the good guys now!

</sarc>


I'm not saying that I believe remnants of code of Russian origin even indicates that it was Russian hackers...code gets reused or appropriated beyond its authors.  Nor do I think the grid was likely penetrated.  But I am poking at those who will instantly dismiss this out of hand because of their infatuation with Putin.