Communications Outage Resource Page
Introduction
This page is upgraded to cover both Power and Communications Risks. See the footnotes listed in the Cupertino Communications Risk Report for additional references used to develop this report.
This page will be updated as additional material is identified.
Articles
Report reveals play-by-play of first U.S. grid cyberattack
Blake Sobczak, 6 September 2019, E&E News.
Intel chief warns of devastating cyber threat to U.S. infrastructure
Jonathan Landay, 13 July 2018, Reuters.
Hackers Gain ‘Switch-Flipping’ Access to US Power Grid Control Systems
Andy Greenburg, 6 September 2017, Wired.
Substation attack is new evidence of grid vulnerability
Peter Behr, 6 October 2016, E&E News.
How America Could Go Dark
Rebecca Smith, 14 July 2016, Wall Street Journal. A WSJ subscription is required to view the full report, but the 4 minute video(link below) is free.
Inside the Cunning, Unprecedented Hack of the Ukraine’s Power Grid
Kim Zetter, 3 March 2016, Wired.
The National Power Grid Is Under Almost Continuous Attack, Report Says
Sabrina Toppa, 25 March 2015, Time
Books
Lights Out: A Cyberattack, A Nation Unprepared, Surviving the Aftermath
Ted Koppel, 27 October 2015, Crown Publishers. Investigative report. See Ted's introduction video below.
One Second After (A John Matherson Novel)
William R. Forstchen, 2009, MacMillan. Fiction; this book deals with an unexpected electromagnetic pulse attack on the United States and how it affects the people living in and around the small American town.
Videos
How America Could Go Dark
14 July 2016, Wall Street Journal, 4:21 min, companion video to the article listed above.
Lights Out
2015, Ted Koppel, 2:25 min, introduces his book by the same title.
American Blackout 2013
2013, National Geographic, 1hr 27:00 min. The story imagines a national power failure in the United States caused by a cyberattack, told in real-time over a 10 day period.
Reports
Cupertino Communications Risk Report
(formatted for printing)
7 Feb 2017 v1.7, originally presented to the City of Cupertino in November 2015; updates to reflect new information.
Presentations
Dealing with Communications Outage Risks
7 Feb 2017, a presentation to the Los Altos Hills Emergency Communications Committee.
Communications Outage Risk Assessment, a Case Study
21 July 2016, a presentation to the Santa Clara County Emergency Managers Association.
Anatomy of a Communications Outage
4 April 2016, a presentation to the Silicon Valley Emergency Communications System.
Upcoming Activities
5 Dec 2024, General Meeting
Topic Year End Review, St Jude Parish Hall,19:30 to 21:00
2 Jan 2025, General Meeting
Incident Action Plan, Loc: TBD, 19:30 to 21:00