Hacking attacks on American utilities are on the rise, according to a new report. Security experts say there are at least three hacking groups interfering with the US. electricity grid 
Security firm Dragos said political and military tensions in the region have coincided with increased hacking attacks on electrical grids, power companies and other utilities in the US.
According to the researchers' report, seven hacking groups have been identified targeting electrical installations in North America. Three of these groups have the ability to "penetrate and disrupt" electrical grids.
Dragos did not say whether the hacking groups are working with specific governments, but she did mention three specific cases: Xenotime, Dymalloy , and Electrum.
The most dangerous hacking groups in the energy sector
Xenotime hacking group behind the Triton cyberattack, which caused extensive damage to oil and gas facilities in Saudi Arabia in 2017.
Since then, Xenotime has carried out other attacks on electrical installations in North America, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. Hackers have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to gain access and carry out attacks in industrial environments.
Dymalloy is another hacking group that has been described by experts as “extremely aggressive and capable” as it manages to infiltrate IT and business environments, stay inside networks for long periods of time and cause major damage, such as power outages. The hackers have targeted companies in Turkey, Europe and North America. Dymalloy has also been linked to the Dragonfly.
The third group, Electrum, is capable of developing malware that affects electrical networks, equipment, and ICS protocols. It is known for its attacks in Ukraine (power outages during the winter). According to experts: “North American power companies should consider Electrum as a serious threat.”
The report states that companies have significantly improved their systems at the security level, but much more still needs to be done.
Simple security practices, such as segmenting networks, regularly updating systems, not using default passwords, using two-factor authentication , and more can prevent such attacks. Hacking groups are constantly looking for new attack methods, so businesses must be constantly on the lookout.
