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Memo says bin Laden backers scoured Web for attack ideas MSNBC Jan. 30 - The FBI has issued a bulletin indicating it believes members of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network are trying to gain remote control of U.S. water supplies and wastewater treatment plants, according to computer security firm SecurityFocus.com. The bulletin was not made public, but instead was sent by the FBI's National Infrastructure Protection Center to about 3,000 members of the center's InfraGard program, an information-sharing partnership between the FBI and private industry, according to SecurityFocus.com. They specifically sought information on water supply and wastewater management practices in the U.S. and abroad. IN THE BULLETIN, NIPC indicates members of al-Qaida have scoured the Web in search of methods for gaining control of water supply facilities and wastewater treatment plants through the computer networks used by U.S. utility companies. "U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies have received indications that al-Qaida members have sought information on Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems available on multiple SCADA-related Web sites," reads the bulletin, according to SecurityFocus. "They specifically sought information on water supply and wastewater management practices in the U.S. and abroad." Such systems are used by utility companies and municipalities to control equipment at unmanned facilities from a central location. The systems are generally not on the public Internet, but are connected through dedicated communications channels that link a control center to hundreds of "remote terminal units." These in turn control water pumps and other equipment. The FBI told SecurityFocus that the bulletin is not a full-blown alert. "It just says be on the lookout," FBI supervisory special agent Steven Berry told the Web site. "There's some information that suggests that they [al-Qaida] are looking at this... There are potential interests in water supplies, and other infrastructures." Remote control of water or sewage plants is not merely a hypothetical concern. Two years ago, a frustrated computer hacker, seeking retribution for being fired, caused treatment plants in Queensland, Australia to overflow. The break-in caused millions of gallons of raw sewage to be dumped into creeks and parks on the Sunshine Coast, a popular tourist and holiday destination. The nation's water system is a delicate balance of interlocking components that includes: the water supply system (dams, reservoirs, wells, etc.); water treatment system; and the water distribution system (pipes, pumps storage tanks, etc.). These systems are mostly aging and in urgent need of upgrading, not simply to bolster them from terrorist attack but to keep them adequately handling the growing water needs of the 21st Century. In addition to the utility company warnings, the NIPC bulletin released Wednesday noted al-Qaida interest in "insecticides and pest control products at several Web sites." Also according to the bulletin, a computer belonging to a bin Laden associate was found to contain structural architecture computer programs, including AutoCAD, CATIGE, Microstran and BEAM, "that suggested the individual was interested in structural engineering as it related to dams and other water-retaining structures." The same unnamed individual had a program used to identify soil types using the Unified Soil Classification System, according to the bulletin. Earlier this month, a number of water supply experts conceded to MSNBC.com that the country's 54,065 public and private water systems were indeed vulnerable. "Although recognized in the past, the vulnerability of our water systems to deliberate acts has not received sufficient attention," said Richard Luthy, chair of the Water Science and Technology Board of the National Research Council, in congressional testimony last year. "The reasons include the fact that simply developing and maintaining our existing water system received primary attention," he said. The darker angels of the water security issue are old, crumbling pipelines and treatment plants. The "reality is that many components of our water systems are aging and need repairs, replacement, or upgrades," Luthy told Congress. The Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies has asked Congress for $57 billion over a five year period targeted at drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. MSNBC.com's Bob Sullivan contributed to this report ===================================================== Don't miss a programming beat! 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