Breaches and Security Implications by Penetration of the Western Interconnection’s
Traffic Control System and its Effects on Modern Day Life
Year after year, a number of films are released involving computer hacking of some sort along with cyber-villainy. As entertaining as they are, the validity of these possibilities is not explored. Many of these films center revolve around a chaotic vehicle-related scene where a form of the government’s transportation grid is compromised. The breach typically involves traffic control. As the stoplights and streetlights are in a state known as gridlock, external hackers usually make the situation as unruly as humanely plausible. However, the very nature of this unfortunate scenario can only be determined once the backgrounds of the systems that control it are thoroughly studied.
The contiguous United States is divided into three main alternating current power grids.
The Western Interconnected System, or Western Interconnection, is the one applicable to those
of us living in California. The electric utilities functioning in this region are tied together,
operating at 60Hz. While the grid is currently electrically powered, research by the National
Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Colorado indicates the Western Interconnection can
handle higher levels of renewable energy, in a quest to implement alternative energy sources. If
integrated correctly, the NREL have claimed the Western Interconnection can take up to
approximately 35% in renewables. They are proposing 30% produced by wind turbines and the
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remaining 5% produced by solar power. This solar power would, in turn, be generated from solar
thermal plants scattered across the correlating area (Richard).
A project known as Tres Amigas SuperStation in Clovis, New Mexico, is geared toward
an American domination of renewable energy. This, as well as a couple of other similar projects,
is currently working to shape a sustainable alternate energy management system by tracking the
electricity use as well as controlling a healthy amount of renewable energy consumption for the
future (BioCycle).
The Western Interconnection powers a number of everyday critical utilities without
which modern industrialization and technological innovation cannot flourish. The main systems
include natural gas pipelines, electricity ...
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...es.cnn.com/2007-09-26/us/power.at.risk_1_generator-cyber-attackelectric-
infrastructure?_s=PM:US>.
NERC - North American Electric Reliability Corporation. North American Electric Reliability
Corporation. Web. 31 July 2011. .
Richard, Michael G. "Western U.S. Grid Can Handle More Renewable Energy Than Previously Predicted." Treehugger.com. Tree Hugger: A Discovery Company, 27 May 2010. Web.
31 July 2011. .
Urban Traffic Control Systems Taxonomy and Description. Digital image. Web. 31 July 2011.
.
Scrape TV. Web. 31 July 2011.
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Wang, Jian-Wei, and Li-Li Rong. "EBSCOhost." EBSCO Publishing Service Selection Page.
Safety Science, July 2011. Web. 31 July 2011.
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