Figure 3: Historical examples of successful cyber attacks
In the open source realm, documented accounts of cyber attacks have been plentiful in light of
the security danger such reports pose. There have been many serious instances of cyber attacks
causing SCADA499 systems and other computer networks to malfunction as a result of accidental
or targeted and malicious intent. The summary below, presented by category, details incidents of
recent attacks against and disruptions of critical infrastructure and sensitive computer networks.
Air and Ground Transportation
In January of 2003, Continental Airlines based in Newark, NJ was forced to ground flights due to
system inoperability caused by the SQL “Slammer” virus.500
Banking Systems
In January of 2003, Bank of America had 13,000 ATM machines rendered inoperable due to the
SQL “Slammer” virus.501
Dams and Waterways
A well-documented and oft-quoted incident refers to a known case in 1998 when a 12-year old
hacker broke into the computer system controlling Arizona’s Roosevelt Dam’s floodgates.
According to sources, the hacker had complete control of the command SCADA system for the
dam and could have flooded the city of Phoenix.502
Another well documented incident refers to the April 23, 2000 arrest of Vitek Boden, a man who
successfully intruded into a Queensland, Australia wastewater management system 46 times. For
two months, the attacks were a mystery to investigators as Boden dumped hundreds of thousands
of gallons of waste into parks, rivers, and commercial properties.
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