Chinese cyberattack on US nuclear agency highlights importance of cyber hygiene | The Strategist Rajeswari

 

Chinese cyberattack on US nuclear agency highlights importance of cyber hygiene | The Strategist

 Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan 

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Cyberattacks on any critical infrastructure should be alarming, but attacks on nuclear infrastructure are all the more so due to the potential consequences, including radiation leaks.

A China-sponsored hacker attacked the US National Nuclear Security Administration in July. The organisation is responsible for building and managing the US nuclear stockpile as well as the nuclear power plants on US warships and submarines.

Like other critical infrastructure, nuclear facilities and installations rely heavily on digital systems for a variety of functions. These include nuclear-reactor controls, safety and security systems within a nuclear facility, transportation of nuclear material, and emergency response protocols. Effective cybersecurity protocols and cyber-hygiene measures are important to prevent intentional attacks and accidents in a nuclear establishment.

A cyberattack on a nuclear facility can result in loss and tampering of data, which could disrupt safety and security operations, producing disastrous effects. Hackers inside plant networks would also be looking for internal documents to map vulnerabilities and weak points, both in terms of physical security and cyber liabilities. This could then be used later to maximise an attack’s effect. Hackers could also feed flawed messages into the digital network to create confusion, increasing the risk of miscalculation in terms of responses or even inadvertent escalation.

Another consequence is the potential loss of public trust in nuclear power at a time when every source of clean energy should be pursued with vigour. Financial loss to the industry and governments engaged in the nuclear sector can also be quite painful. In addition, private sector businesses could face loss of market and investor confidence, which could have long-term consequences. Humanitarian and environmental consequences of any nuclear or radiological incident should be worrying as well.