A cyberattack reportedly forced a small British power station to shut down for four days, with UK authorities suspecting hackers linked to Iran, according to The Telegraph.
Britain has dozens of smaller generating facilities connected to the national grid, including gas-powered plants that typically operate for only limited periods each week. The newspaper did not identify the affected facility but said the disruption occurred in July and lasted four days.
The incident reportedly prompted authorities to alert the National Cyber Security Centre, part of Britain’s GCHQ intelligence agency. Emergency briefings were held with energy-sector executives, while companies were issued guidance aimed at strengthening their defences against further attacks.
The breach came amid reports of cyberattacks against water infrastructure in the United States. CBS News reported earlier this month that more than 30 community water systems across 12 states had been affected in incidents potentially connected to Iran-backed hackers.
Some US utilities reportedly lost remote-control functions and were forced to operate systems manually. Attackers were said to have gained access in some cases to equipment controlling pumps, valves and water pressure.
Western intelligence agencies have repeatedly warned that critical infrastructure faces cyber threats associated with actors in Iran, China, North Korea and Russia. Governments in those countries have rejected accusations of state involvement, while Moscow has accused Western governments of exaggerating foreign cyber threats to justify expanded military and offensive cyber capabilities.
Rather than hold the strategic infrastructure energy company accountable to keeping their system safe, this will be another call for Digital ID. A bit like asking you to wear a mask that doesn’t protect against microbes to protect your neighbour.