Why is it fully automated, let alone connected to the internet with 0 security measures, in the first place?
It's fully automated because industrial scale water treatment isn't something you can reasonably do by hand. Even if setting up the system for remote access is necessary, I'd at least use the network firewall to block untrustworthy IP addresses (which still isn't foolproof, but at least forces an attacker to VPN into the US before even a valid password is accepted).
Should have required user input especially when levels are going to change outside of usual parameters.
The system shouldn't be able to just dump unsafe amounts of lye in without human oversight. It doesn't cost that much to hire an operator to essentially just watch the system
But the unprotected remote access is the main problem anyways
When the problem can be solved by Homer Simpson (wasn't that basically his job at the power plant? Watch for flashy lights and approve/click them?), then you have no excuse to not solve the problem that way until a better solution can be found.
Most modern water plants are 'fully' automated. You shouldn't be in the business if you aren't. The issue is always going to be poor security.
There are a LOT of hacks in the business. It's usually government workers, after all. I mean there are a LOT of dumbasses in the water and wastewater business, top to bottom. I live it.
And that includes IT departments as well you may need to rely on.
But in the end, it is almost impossible to harm downstream users from anything you could do hacking into a water plant. High chlorine? No one's going to drink that crap coming out of the tap.
In this article they're claiming it was caustic soda they tried to up the dose on though. That stuff doesn't have a particularly strong odor like chlorine and chlorites.
You'll taste it immediately sure and only a dumbass would swallow it, but depending on how high they can push the limits, it could still be a pretty rough day for anyone who burns the inside of their mouth, or the poor bastards who step in the shower and spray that stuff directly onto their face and eyes with no safe running water to wash it off with.
On the plus side, the pipes would get a nice clean though.
Why is it fully automated, let alone connected to the internet with 0 security measures, in the first place?
Uncle Ted is right. Technology was a mistake
Here's an English article on the same incident
It's fully automated because industrial scale water treatment isn't something you can reasonably do by hand. Even if setting up the system for remote access is necessary, I'd at least use the network firewall to block untrustworthy IP addresses (which still isn't foolproof, but at least forces an attacker to VPN into the US before even a valid password is accepted).
Should have required user input especially when levels are going to change outside of usual parameters.
The system shouldn't be able to just dump unsafe amounts of lye in without human oversight. It doesn't cost that much to hire an operator to essentially just watch the system
But the unprotected remote access is the main problem anyways
When the problem can be solved by Homer Simpson (wasn't that basically his job at the power plant? Watch for flashy lights and approve/click them?), then you have no excuse to not solve the problem that way until a better solution can be found.
Exactly
agriculture was a mistake
RETVRN TO MONKE
the primitive technology guy looks like he is doing pretty well
*Megaman Battle Network intensifies *
https://kotakuinaction2.win/p/12hRLbuAad/x/c/4Dx4eWTPxLj
There are a LOT of hacks in the business. It's usually government workers, after all. I mean there are a LOT of dumbasses in the water and wastewater business, top to bottom. I live it.
And that includes IT departments as well you may need to rely on. But in the end, it is almost impossible to harm downstream users from anything you could do hacking into a water plant. High chlorine? No one's going to drink that crap coming out of the tap.
You say that but people kept drinking the water in Flint, even after saying it came out brown or foul smelling.
Flint's main problem was lead. You don't taste that.
The smell of chlorine is 1 to 1 related to dosage.
This is my business, internet 'acktually' guy.
In this article they're claiming it was caustic soda they tried to up the dose on though. That stuff doesn't have a particularly strong odor like chlorine and chlorites.
You'll taste it immediately sure and only a dumbass would swallow it, but depending on how high they can push the limits, it could still be a pretty rough day for anyone who burns the inside of their mouth, or the poor bastards who step in the shower and spray that stuff directly onto their face and eyes with no safe running water to wash it off with.
On the plus side, the pipes would get a nice clean though.