Energy officials say nuclear power plants withstood Russian attack

Federal regulators said Friday that a Russian cyberattack aimed at the U.S. power grid last year did not compromise operations at any nuclear power plants.

The Associated Press reported that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said corporate networks at some of the 99 U.S. power plants it licenses were breached, but that no safety or security functions were accessed.

{mosads}

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission added that the attacks, which occurred over a period of at least two years, did not have any effect on the interstate transmission of energy.

The Trump administration laid blame for the attacks on the Russian government on Thursday, saying in an alert from the Department of Homeland Security that a “multi-stage intrusion campaign by Russian government cyber actors” had targeted facilities “where they staged malware, conducted spear phishing, and gained remote access into energy sector networks.”

The same day, the Trump administration unveiled a new range of sanctions targeting top Russian entities and individuals in retaliation for meddling in the 2016 election, and other cyber intrusions.

“The administration is confronting and countering malign Russian cyber activity, including their attempted interference in U.S. elections, destructive cyber-attacks, and intrusions targeting critical infrastructure,” said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin this week.

“These targeted sanctions are a part of a broader effort to address the ongoing nefarious attacks emanating from Russia,” he continued. “Treasury intends to impose additional [Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act] sanctions, informed by our intelligence community, to hold Russian government officials and oligarchs accountable for their destabilizing activities by severing their access to the U.S. financial system.”