From Drudge...

https://www.dailydot.com/debug/hacker-smart-meter-texas-snowstorm/

Smart Meters apparently phone-home your usage data via old school radio signal. I presumed it was via wire back to the provider/utility. So this guy decodes some of the radio transmission, figures out how to read up-time data, and then drives around Dallas to see who lost power vs who didn't.

Brilliant or terrifying?

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...and then drives around Dallas to see who lost power vs who didn't.

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For what purpose?
Rob the houses would be the most obvious one, but just because you lost power does not mean you are not home with a gun.

TxTarpon said:

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...and then drives around Dallas to see who lost power vs who didn't.

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For what purpose?
Rob the houses would be the most obvious one, but just because you lost power does not mean you are not home with a gun.

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Because he can, and it's a prof of concept demonstration to show the security loophole.

Many modern security systems have battery backups and a mobile data connection specifically for power/phone line outages and to combat "crash and smash" burglaries, where a burglar breaks into a home and smashes the panel before the entry delay times out. That way, a break in signal is never sent. Many also require a disarm confirmation. In that instance, the system sends an alert when the system is armed and a sensor is tripped, and disarming the system sends a confirmation. No confirmation and the cops get called.

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Many modern security systems have battery backups and a mobile data connection specifically for power/phone line outages and to combat "crash and smash" burglaries, where a burglar breaks into a home and smashes the panel before the entry delay times out. That way, a break in signal is never sent. Many also require a disarm confirmation. In that instance, the system sends an alert when the system is armed and a sensor is tripped, and disarming the system sends a confirmation. No confirmation and the cops get called.

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I am so glad you are on this.

TxTarpon said:

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...and then drives around Dallas to see who lost power vs who didn't.

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For what purpose?
Rob the houses would be the most obvious one, but just because you lost power does not mean you are not home with a gun.

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He's a "good" hacker I guess - it's what he does. Expose vulnerability - publicize it - generate public outrage - force changes. Wash, rinse, repeat.

White hat

Every white hat is one mistaken concept from being a black hat.

It's been a while since my short time at a REP, but I believe the ESID data is real time published by ERCOT.

The smart meter is more of a mesh system than old school direct radio communication. Would not be surprised if it little if any encryption.

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A recent study published by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Colorado School of Mines, and University of Massachusetts-Amherst asserted that minority areas were over four times as likely to suffer from an energy blackout than white-majority areas.

"Income status of areas did not appear to be a strong factor in the share of blackouts" the study stated. "The presence of hospitals or police and fire stationscritical facilitiesin a CBG [Census block group] reduces the chances of blackouts by around 0%-6%, a small difference that does not otherwise explain the disparity among communities."

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Colorado School of Mines isn't what it use to be.

etxag02 said:

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A recent study published by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Colorado School of Mines, and University of Massachusetts-Amherst asserted that minority areas were over four times as likely to suffer from an energy blackout than white-majority areas.

"Income status of areas did not appear to be a strong factor in the share of blackouts" the study stated. "The presence of hospitals or police and fire stationscritical facilitiesin a CBG [Census block group] reduces the chances of blackouts by around 0%-6%, a small difference that does not otherwise explain the disparity among communities."

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Colorado School of Mines isn't what it use to be.

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Why, do you have access to some data that contradicts theirs?

Wait till you hear about water meters

This is how the power company knows about your outage before you even call them.