Anti-Virus software would be of limited value against a Stuxnet style piece of industrial malware designed to attack the control system of the rig. The issue for the potential malcontent would be how to get the virus on the control system's domain as opposed to be the base business Internet, which is what they are talking about here. The two systems are segregated and do not easily speak to each other. In the case of Stuxnet in Iran, it is theorized that it was introduced directly via a USB jump drive by someone on the inside.
On Sunday, February 24, 2013 10:21:17 AM UTC-5, cwpreston wrote: > > > http://gizmodo.com/5986475/off+shore-oil-rigs-have-been-incapacitated-by-malware-thanks-to-pirated-music-and-porn > > Syndicate > > <http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18fkkzm8l666kjpg/original.jpg>Hacks have > been popping up all over the place recently. > Facebook<http://gizmodo.com/5984666/facebook-got-hacked-last-month-and-is-just-telling-you-now?tag=facebook>, > > Microsoft<http://gizmodo.com/5986355/microsoft-says-it-got-hacked-in-a-similar-attack-to-apple-and-facebook>, > > Twitter <http://gizmodo.com/twitter-hack/>, > various<http://gizmodo.com/5980417/chinese-hackers-have-been-attacking-the-new-york-times-for-the-past-4-months?tag=hacking> > > news<http://gizmodo.com/5982024/rupert-murdoch-admits-the-nyt-is-still-being-hacked?tag=hacking> > > organizations <http://gizmodo.com/5981108/?tag=hacking>. And off-shore > oil rigs aren't to be left out. According to the Houston Chronicle, more > than one of the things have been "incapacitated" by > malware<http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/energy/article/Malware-on-oil-rig-computers-raises-security-fears-4301773.php?t=1b259d62f3b05374ef&t=1b259d62f3>that > can be traced back to the Internet's most common vices: pirated music > and porn. > > The Chronicle relays > reports<http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/energy/article/Malware-on-oil-rig-computers-raises-security-fears-4301773.php?t=1b259d62f3b05374ef&t=1b259d62f3>from > unnamed cybersecurity professionals that indicate there are plenty of > cases in which these literal islands of Internet disconnection have been > infected, "exposing gaps in security that could pose serious risks to > people and the environment." Conventional Internet isn't readily available > on rigs, but the malware still gets in, sometimes due to satellite > downloads, or good old-fashioned USB-drive stashes. > > Obviously malware is never a good thing, but experts seem to be worried > about infection on rigs in particular as it could lead to something like "a > well blowout, explosion, oil spill and lost human lives." And the whole > situation is made worse due to the fact that many rigs, apparently, have > little to no standards in place to keep malware at bay. One of the > professionals described a situation in the gulf coast this way to the > Chronicle<http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/energy/article/Malware-on-oil-rig-computers-raises-security-fears-4301773.php?t=1b259d62f3b05374ef&t=1b259d62f3>: > > "They literally had a worm that was flooding their network, and they're out > in the middle of the ocean." > > So far there haven't been any real catastrophic events, and chances are > the malware that's screwing stuff up is just nuance-grade, gumming up the > works. But if something was to be directly targeted at the rigs, things > could be much worse. Maybe it's time someone updated that anti-virus > software; getting rid of the porn is out of the question. [Houston > Chronicle<http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/energy/article/Malware-on-oil-rig-computers-raises-security-fears-4301773.php?t=1b259d62f3b05374ef&t=1b259d62f3>via > The > Next > Web<http://thenextweb.com/insider/2013/02/23/continuing-the-cybersecurity-drumbeat-malware-is-said-to-have-incapacitated-oil-rig-computer-systems/> > ] > > *Image by Pal Teravagimov<http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-91151p1.html> > /Shutterstock<http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-114308815/stock-photo-large-pacific-ocean-offshore-oil-rig-drilling-platform-off-the-southern-coast-of-california.html?src=csl_recent_image-1> > * > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Unique Geek" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/theuniquegeek?hl=en. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
