North Carolina power: FBI joins inquiry into 'intentional' strikes on substations resulted in power outage in North Carolina

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The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has joined the investigation into the power outages in Moore County, North Carolina. According to media reports, the FBI hasn’t revealed any suspects or motives for the move, though the outages are believed to be targeted attacks caused by international elements.

On Saturday, December 3, power outages left nearly 40,000 customers without power. Preliminary investigation suggested that two substations in the country were damaged by gunfire. The apparent vandalism triggered a criminal investigation by the local country Sheriff’s office.

Commenting on the findings, Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields said the culprits of the vandalism knew exactly what they were doing. The sheriff further added that it was a targeted attack, though he couldn’t say why they chose Moore County. However, he confirmed that no terror group, domestic or foreign, had stepped up to take responsibility for the attack.

Following the incident, a curfew was imposed in Moore County between 9 pm on Sunday and 5 am on Monday. The FBI and the North Carolina States Bureau of Investigation have joined the investigation.

Wray: FBI blocked planned cyberattack on children’s hospital

Cyberattack

The FBI thwarted a planned cyberattack on a children’s hospital in Boston that was to have been carried out by hackers sponsored by the Iranian government, FBI Director Christopher Wray said Wednesday.

Anecdotes

The FBI chief recounted that anecdote in a broader speech about cyber threats from Russia, China and Iran, and the need for partnerships between the U.S. government and the private sector.

Unspecified

Wray told a Boston College cybersecurity conference that his agents learned of the planned digital attack from an unspecified intelligence partner and got Boston Children’s Hospital the information it needed last summer to block what would have been “one of the most despicable cyberattacks I’ve seen.”

“And quick actions by everyone involved, especially at the hospital, protected both the network and the sick kids who depended on it,” Wray said.

Investigation underway

He did not ascribe a particular motive to the planned attack on the hospital, but he noted that Iran and other countries have been hiring cyber mercenaries to conduct attacks on their behalf. In addition, the health care and public health sector is classified by the U.S. government as one of 16 critical infrastructure sectors, and health care providers such as hospitals are seen as ripe targets for hackers.

Previous incidents

He said the bureau and Boston Children’s Hospital had worked closely after a hacktivist attacked the hospital’s computer network in 2014. Martin Gottesfeld launched a cyberattack at the hospital to protest the care of a teenager at the center of a high-profile custody battle; Gottesfeld later was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The attack against the hospital and a treatment home cost the facilities tens of thousands of dollars and disrupted operations for days.

The attack on the substations has caused damage running in millions of dollars. While Duke Energy could restore power for about 7,000 customers, power for the rest is not expected to return until Thursday. McNeill Oil and Propane officials hoped that the FBI and local authorities would find the culprits behind the “senseless” attack. The Vice President of the sole fuel distributor in the region said that they were willing to help the local communities.

Duke Energy officially stated that the equipment at their substations was damaged beyond repair and would have to be replaced. The company said they were contemplating ways to restore power back for the customers as soon as possible. However, they iterated that the substation needed highly sophisticated repairs, indicating that recovery could take time.

FAQs:

How many customers were affected?
Nearly 40,000 customers have been affected.
When will the power return?
While 7,000 customers have got back the power, others would have to wait until Thursday.

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North Carolina power: FBI joins inquiry into ‘intentional’ strikes on substations resulted in power outage in North Carolina