International Hackers Crack ... Pennsylvania Water Supply?

Not even the essence of life is safe from hackers, it seems.

Although one might expect industrial chemical dumping to be the greatest threat to a city's water supply (the Detroit River is proof), hackers actually cracked a laptop at a Harrisburg, PA treatment plant earlier last month. The infected computer gave the intruders access to a variety of vital files.

The question is: did they use those critical files?

Not apparently, according to reports. Instead, the hackers took the opportunity to load the access point with Spyware and computer viruses, perhaps unaware of the power they wielded. Thus, no serious damage was ever done to Harrisburg's water supply, but the successful Internet break-in has left federal watchdogs concerned.

The most alarming issue surrounding the crack may be that fact that the attack came from outside of the United States. That's leading many Paranoid Petes to worry that another terrorist threat is upon us, perhaps via online technology.

As a result of the alarm, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is on the case, although no arrests have been made at this time. (source: computerworld.com)

Security at the plant – which must have been lax – is admitting that the hackers could have inflicted lethal force had they so chosen. Since the guilty party, whoever they are, does not appear to have known who they were hacking, that's a bit of a push. Still, it's evidence of the nasty potential wielded by skilled Internet fiends.

The increasingly infamous story, which has been reported on by ABC News, might just leave you looking at that overweight IT pro a little differently in the future. Are they the new villains in the 21st century? (source: hackinthebox.org)

Batman, beware!