The Ocassions of Cyberattacks and Infringment of Homeland Security

Visualize awakening to the realization of a colossal cyberattack in the United States. All government data has been shattered, health records gone, childbirth certificates destroyed, and all vital documents nowhere to be found. In addition, grocery Stores are closed, your cell phone reception is gone, and all internet service have disappeared. More importantly, the hospitals are working on backup generators that are running out of gas, trash and waste all over the streets, and the water is tainted with contaminants. Do you get the picture? There is nowhere to go. All of these have one thing in common, they are connected to a power grid that can be threatened by a cyberattack. What do we do and how will the power be restored?

The United States power structure is a vastly multifaceted system. “According to the Council of Foreign Relations, the system comprises of 3.300 utilities that work together to deliver power through 200,000 miles of high voltage transmission lines, 55,000 substations, and 5.5 million miles of distribution lines that power to millions of homes and businesses” (5). Experts are now worried about the smart technologies that use the internet to link to power meters and appliances. Think of all the unprotected devices that this power is responsible for.

Though cybersecurity professionals and business administrators define such cautions as hysteria, intelligence representatives say this can happen and individuals underestimate how damaging the cyberattack can be. Hackers performing a coordinated assault of many power stations at one time would be catastrophic. When countries proclaim war on another nation, this is what the rival is contemplating; total societal chaos and destruction. The internet has caused countless good things for civilization, but it has created more vulnerabilities. This is one of the most significant trials for the 21st century.

The energy supply is the most delicate segment of internet foundation because of the holes that are a part of this structure. Things change every day and keeping up with the new software encourages this vulnerability. An experienced hacker is aware of these weaknesses and trying to trip these power stations would be an alarming possibility. “An attack on the national grid could involve what is called a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack. This is done by using numerous computers to rush a system with data from countless informants at identical time in order to deactivate the reserve power and alter the system (1). This alone is a colossal scare.

“If hackers were to hit approximately 50-100 intentionally selected generators in the Northeast, for instance, the impaired power grid would quickly overwork, instigating a flow of subordinate outages thru numerous states” (7). While some areas could mend fast, others might be exclusive of power for weeks. “Think of how crippled our region is when we lose power for just a couple of days, the effects of a measured extensive assault on the power grid for the East Coast, say, would cause mass destruction” (6).

Just to paint a picture, “if an estimate of 30% of states would be hit, approximately 93 million people would be in living in blackness” (2). It would cost millions of dollars to the economy. “Besides the fundamental significance of the power grid to a working United States culture, all sixteen regions of the United States economy believed to make up the country's core foundation trust on electricity” (3). Besides the economic fallout, if there is a cyberattack on our homeland, the geopolitical effect could be even worse. It would be a methodical unexpected attack like todays Pearl Harbor from foreign rival; an act of war.

Like Pearl Harbor, it will be hard to detect when it is happening. This is the scary part. Power suppliers may realize the overloaded transmission lines failing in swift progression. This time it will not be from a software glitch. The recourse may not show rebound. Preparation would begin with intense communication. If this attack happens, interaction would begin right away between energy companies. In addition, having equipment to replace these disrupted devices would be on hand. There have been programs that are set in play already. However, there is no preparation in real time to save a crippling world and reestablish power. Time is of the essence.

“The National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC) is a share of the Department of Homeland Security. In the last six years, it has developed as a center for all the cyber data the government gathers and investigates” (4). Internally, government employees and reps from acute groundwork activities oversee cyber activity 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The NCCIC floor is covered with monstrous displays and packed with lines of computer screens. If sizeable bands of the power networks went down, the government would contract the area electricity representative to become the liaison between the industry and the identifier of the malevolent software as swiftly as possible. After detecting the software, the administration could aid in developing instruments to kick out the hackers and eradicate lingering security flaws.

FBI agents have been coached to assist with cyber investigations. If an attack occurred, their job would be to figure out the offender. The United States has a rapid response plan in case of a hack on their power sources. However, there are openings, and more is needed to protect from these attacks. In an organized assault, alleged Russian hackers infiltrated Ukraine’s power grid, hitting out power for 225,000 people. The hackers drowned the customer service center with calls, causing technical snags and reducing the reaction.

These are some of the protocols to follow. However, in my case, what I would do as an employee who oversees such a disaster and chaos would go in this strategic, orderly way. Primarily, I would take over the network. Taking over of the internet interchanges to cease people from collapsing the core substructure is crucial. Secondly, analyze the attack without upsetting the interior processes of the network. A hard thing to accomplish, but a necessity for the overall safeguarding of the structure’s permanence. Third, ensuring control of the overall structure by applying red flag notices to safeguard attention on important priorities crucial for societal longevity. Some that come to mind are military feasibility, health services, and financial services to name a few. These notices need to be alerted before system failure. Last, but definitely not least, maintaining steadiness by overhauling predictable construction and trying to recover the damaged systems.

The tension in the state of affairs today is volatile. A cyberattack needs to be taken seriously. In addition to proper protocol of cyber representatives, the governing administration should center its strengths on determining policy to strengthen security. This policy should determine what this attack would be considered and what the response or action would entail. Through legal execution and intelligence capabilities, a declaration of preemption should be loudly professed to all. Not to be a target, military operations should not be dependent on the power grid.