CIA claims utilities are extortion targets

Source: SANS NewsBites

The CIA claims that power generation facilities (outside the United Sates) have been the target of disruption and associated extortion demands via the Internet.

"We have information that cyber attacks have been used to disrupt power equipment in several regions outside the United States. In at least one case, the disruption caused a power outage affecting multiple cities. We do not know who executed these attacks or why, but all involved intrusions through the Internet."