Cybersecurity re-examined after alleged Russian hack

Associated Press

BURLINGTON, Vt.

Several states around the country Saturday asked cybersecurity experts to re-examine state and utility networks after a Vermont utility’s laptop was found to contain malware that U.S. officials say is linked to Russian hackers.

The Burlington Electric Department, one of Vermont’s two largest electric utilities, confirmed Friday it had found on one of its laptops the malware code used in Grizzly Steppe, the name the U.S. has given to malicious cyber activity by Russian civilian and military intelligence services.

A Burlington Electric Department spokesman said federal officials have told the company the threat was not unique to them.

A spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security would not say Saturday whether any other utilities, organizations or entities had reported similar malware on their systems following the report.

The official said any such information would be confidential.

Officials in New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut said they are more closely monitoring state and utility networks for anything suspicious.

“We have not detected any activity matching the reported malware at this time,” Connecticut governor’s office spokesman Chris Collibee said.

New Jersey’s homeland security director said the state had no reports of malicious activity associated with Grizzly Steppe at major utility systems.

In New York, a spokesman said Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo directed all state agencies to re-examine their computer systems for any security breaches. Nothing has been found.