It depends on the level of control the electronic control system has over the system as a whole. The electric power grid security is an area of national concer

It depends on the level of control the electronic control system has over the system as a whole. The electric power grid security is an area of national concern in the US. I read a report to Congress (publically available) a few years back that suggested the power grid was being hacked in quite a few ways. Googling electric power grid security returns a plethora of results, all of them reporting problems. Here's a few reports. I haven't evaluated them for reliability and accuracy. A 2009 report that kicked off a lot of talk http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123914805204099085.html http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123914805204099085.html This one is old http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/1998/06/12746 http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/1998/06/12746 This one is 'new', as of Jan '11. http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d11117.pdf http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d11117.pdf Here's a blog on it: http://smartgridsecurity.blogspot.com/ http://smartgridsecurity.blogspot.com/ Lockheed sez they are going to work on it. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-30/lockheed-promises-electric-grid-security-for-1-3-billion-market.html http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-30/lockheed-promises-e... In 2010, we got some national guidelines. http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/releases/nist-finalizes-initial-set-of-smart-grid-cyber-security-guidelines.cfm http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/releases/nist-finalizes-i... A video of some congressional testimony: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIPQRKAmCWo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIPQRKAmCWo China is frequently cited in this business http://www.uscc.gov/researchpapers/2009/NorthropGrumman_PRC_Cyber_Paper_FINAL_Approved%20Report_16Oct2009.pdf http://www.uscc.gov/researchpapers/2009/NorthropGrumman_PRC_... And MacAfee has a report on China going after energy companies. http://www.mcafee.com/us/resources/white-papers/wp-global-energy-cyberattacks-night-dragon.pdf http://www.mcafee.com/us/resources/white-papers/wp-global-en... Explode a generator! (this can be mitigated) http://articles.cnn.com/2007-09-26/us/power.at.risk_1_generator-cyber-attack-electric-infrastructure?_s=PM:US http://articles.cnn.com/2007-09-26/us/power.at.risk_1_genera...