Hackers Coordinate Cyber Attack on U.S. Gas Pipelines

The last six months there is an unidentified peoples or group of hacker’s coordinated cyber attack on the control system of U.S. gas pipeline.

According to U.S. officials, it's unclear if a foreign power is trying to map the gas systems or if hackers are attempting to harm the pipelines. A previous attack on the oil and gas sector seemed to originate in China.

The hackers are using a technique called spear-phishing attacks. They are trying to steal the passwords and gain access to the pipelines control system.

Spear phishing send targeted emails to specific persons and that seem to come from your friends or associates, and with email they attached or link it with malware. When the target open the attached or link file it release into the victim’s computer.

"Various sources provided information to the Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team," stated the DHS in a recent newsletter, "describing targeted attempts and intrusions into multiple natural gas pipeline sector organizations. Analysis of the malware and artifacts associated with these cyber attacks has positively identified this activity as related to a single campaign with spear-phishing activity dating back to as early as December 2011."

DHS officials and a spokesman have acknowledged they are working with the FBI to find out who may be behind the intrusions and malicious emails. 

"The cyber intrusion involves sophisticated spear-phishing activities targeting personnel within the private companies," DHS spokesman Peter Boogaard said in a statement. "DHS is coordinating with the FBI and appropriate federal agencies, and DHS's Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team (ICS-CERT) is working with affected organizations to prepare mitigation plans customized to their current network and security configurations to detect, mitigate and prevent such threats."

The oil and gas sector has been targeted before. In February 2011 the computer security firm McAfee discovered a computer intrusion labeled "Night Dragon" that was traced to China. As part of that attack, individuals tried to obtain sensitive data and financial documents from the oil and gas companies about bids and future drilling exploration projects.

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Posted in: China,Cyber Attack,Federal Bureau Of Investigation,Hacking News,National Security,Natural Gas,U.S.