Recently news articles reported that foreigners have hacked into the computer systems controlling many of our critical infrastructure sectors. This would include communications, dams, defense industrial, emergency services, energy, financial services, health care, food and agriculture, information technology, transportation systems, water and wastewater, and nuclear reactors, materials and waste.
The question is: Why are critical systems connected to the internet? I would contend that any computer system can be hacked. Any system devised by humans can be cracked by humans. It might be “convenient” to be able to access these systems through the internet, but it is also insanely foolish. We need dedicated systems to access all critical infrastructure systems — systems that can be accessed only by employees from a secured location.
