Russian Cyber-Attacks Threaten U.S. Power Grid

We’ve all seen the James Bond movies. Espionage, spies, double agents, international intrigue. They always provide us with plenty of entertainment.

But we also know many of those same activities play out in real life. It’s just that we don’t hear much about the details because everything is hush-hush.

Sometimes word leaks out that another nation is targeting us. But the average U.S. citizen doesn’t usually know which country it is. It’s top secret.

Well, now the secret is out. And everybody knows it.

Russia Can Shut Us Down

Last week, the Associated Press sent out a tweet. It read: “Trump administration accuses Russia of ongoing, deliberate operation to penetrate U.S. energy grid.”

Every major media outlet around the world has reported on the story since then. Russia has been using a series of cyber attacks against us. They’ve targeted several American systems. Including nuclear power plants, water and electrical systems, and aviation systems.

It’s bad enough our longtime enemy has made major advances in penetrating our crucial infrastructure.

But now we learn they could have sabotaged our power plants if they had chosen to do so. Or shut them off completely.

All It Would Take Is Motivation

What’s scarier still is Russia still can do those things. All they need is motivation.

Considering how high tension has been between the U.S. and Russia, that motivation could be right around the corner.

“We now have evidence they’re sitting on the machines, connected to industrial control infrastructure, that allow them to effectively turn the power off or effect sabotage,” Eric Chien, a security technology director at digital security firm Symantec, told the New York Times.

“From what we can see, they were there. They have the ability to shut the power off. All that’s missing is some political motivation,” Chien added.

Russia Suspected in Ukrainian Attacks

This marked the first time the Trump Administration named Russia as the originator of these cyber attacks. Maybe because it’s becoming obvious who is behind the assaults. After all, the Russians have proven they are not only capable of doing it, but have indeed done it.

The Ukraine experienced attacks on their power grid back in 2015 and 2016. Those assaults left 200,000 people in the dark. And security firms and American officials are confident Russia was to blame.

Russia is also believed to be the culprit in cyber attacks against the Ukraine last summer. Those assaults temporarily paralyzed the country’s financial systems and government agencies.

New Sanctions, New Office… Same Problem

The news of Russian cyber hacking against America came on the same day as another announcement. U.S. sanctions were established against Russia.

The White House has imposed extensive sanctions against 19 Russians and others. That’s for interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. As well as for other cyber attacks.

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Rick Perry commented on this. He said, “This event demonstrates exactly why I am creating an Office of Cyber Security and Emergency Response.

“It is crucial for the DOE to consolidate and strengthen our efforts to combat the growing nefarious cyber threats we face.”

Russia Flexing Its Muscles

But we have to ask… will sanctions solve the problem? Will a new department bring an end to attacks?

I don’t think so. Russia seems determined to prove what a formidable enemy it would be in a confrontation with the U.S.

These cyber-attacks show Russia is capable of taking down our electrical grid.

Not to mention disrupting our nuclear power plants, and water and aviation systems.

A New ‘Doomsday’ Weapon?

Russia is also announcing that its weapons are becoming stronger and more sophisticated.

One of them is a new, intercontinental, nuclear-armed, nuclear-powered, undersea autonomous torpedo. It’s called the “Status-6” system.

The Pentagon acknowledged the possible existence of this weapon recently. The underwater rocket is being called a “doomsday weapon.”

The payload? More than 1,000 times as powerful as the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki near the end of World War II. According to a Defense Department report, it could wipe out a major coastal city such as New York City.

Putin: ‘Listen Now’

The other weapon is called an “invincible” missile by the Russian Defense Ministry. It could pierce U.S. air defenses at hypersonic speed.

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently addressed his country’s Parliament. He said, “Russia still has the greatest nuclear potential in the world, but nobody listened to us. Listen now.”

Our government is woefully unprepared.

It seems like the government has been fixated on taking more and more away from people who worked hard to earn it, while doing virtually nothing to secure our nation’s infrastructure.

They’ve ignored dire warnings from experts about the grid’s vulnerability to physical, electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and cyber-attack by North Korea, Russia, China and even ISIS and other terrorist groups.

“Our death toll would be staggering” reports FOX News. We’re all fine when the power goes out for a few hours and even days. But an extended blackout would be devastating.

Frank Gaffney, founder of the Center for Security Policy predicts, “… should the power go out and stay out for over a year, 9 out of 10 Americans would likely perish.”

Imagine a blackout lasting not days, but weeks or months. Your life would be frozen in time right at the moment the power fails. Lights all over the country would go out, throwing people into total darkness.

Sadly, this is NOT science fiction or some crazy doomsday theory…

And retired CENTCOM General Lloyd Austin says, “It’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when.”

It’s growing more and more obvious that it’s time to take steps to protect your family if you have not yet.

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