Chinese to build powerstation in UK

[mrmistoffelees]

Bearing in mind the massive increase in state sponsored hacking I'm not sure letting a state such as china (who don't have exactly the best reputation) is such a good idea.....

wonton destruction i suspect

Bloody iPhone..... That should of course be power station

[heero_yuy]

I just hope the software is subject to rigorous review by our security agencies.

[Osem]

The dithering of successive governments has led us to where we are desperate to get new power generating capacity and this is the end result. I'll be very surprised if the lights don't start going out well before the new nuclear power stations come online.

Originally Posted by Osem

The dithering of successive governments has led us to where we are desperate to get new power generating capacity and this is the end result. I'll be very surprised if the lights don't start going out well before the new nuclear power stations come online.

Private Eye have been going on about this for a while now. This winter especially we may have problems apparently as there is very little slack left in the system so any surge in demand will see measures (such as businesses being cut off during some periods) put into place. We're already very close to the lights going out at these plants are some years off starting let alone being finished. Not to mention the inevitable legal challenges to come.

[figgyburn]

Keep a healthy supply of candles.This will take me back to the blackouts of the 70's.I worked in a tailor's shop then and people were trying on suits by candle light.Happy days indeed.Is there nothing that this country won't sell to any tom,dick and harry.Soon there will not be anything valuable left in this country to pawn.Great Britain oh how small and insignificant we have become in the world.

[Osem]

Originally Posted by Damien

Private Eye have been going on about this for a while now. This winter especially we may have problems apparently as there is very little slack left in the system so any surge in demand will see measures (such as businesses being cut off during some periods) put into place. We're already very close to the lights going out at these plants are some years off starting let alone being finished. Not to mention the inevitable legal challenges to come.

Not to mention population growth including net migration of 300-400k per annum.

Frankly the lack of foresight and political will has been staggering and nobody concerned comes out of this with very much credit. We're now in between a rock and a very hard place so perhaps Chinese involvement ought to be the least of our concerns.

[Ramrod]

Originally Posted by mrmistoffelees

wonton destruction i suspect

"won-ton" destruction?

[mrmistoffelees]

Originally Posted by Ramrod

"won-ton" destruction?

Didn't want to make it to obvious

Originally Posted by Osem

Frankly the lack of foresight and political will has been staggering and nobody concerned comes out of this with very much credit. We're now in between a rock and a very hard place so perhaps Chinese involvement ought to be the least of our concerns.

Not especially bothered about the Chinese part. It's in their interests for this to work out and they're hardly going to steal our plans for how to build nuclear power considering we don't have any! Safety might be a concern but I can't see why that wouldn't be a concern for other nations too and unless this is a long-game to get back at us for the Opium Wars I think it's ok.

[Ignitionnet]

Me either. More the extortionate price we're going to be paying for the power and our apparent inability to finance our own infrastructure. Idiots.

[Ramrod]

Originally Posted by Damien

Not especially bothered about the Chinese part. It's in their interests for this to work out and they're hardly going to steal our plans for how to build nuclear power considering we don't have any!

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

Me either.

There was I worrying (amongst other things) about secret backdoors into the code used to run the power stations, backdoors that could conceivably be used against the UK in some way. But your (addmitedly complacent and short sighted) post has put me totally at ease about the potential pitfalls of allowing/inviting a communist nation, famous for state sponsored hacking of military, government and private sector organizations, to build a frigging nuclear reactor here!

Originally Posted by Ramrod

There was I worrying about secret backdoors into the code used to run the power stations, backdoors that could conceivably be used against the UK in some way. But your (addmitedly complacent and short sighted) post has put me totally at ease about the potential pitfalls of allowing/inviting a communist nation, famous for state sponsored hacking of military, government and private sector organizations, to build a frigging nuclear reactor here!

China is a communist state but also one that has been radically pursing forms of capitalism too. Any back doors would be a massive risk and for what gain? It would destroy China's ability to do such deals elsewhere and that is what they ultimately want to do in their quest to become a bigger nation and keep their economy growing. I can't see the benefit to them of programming 'back doors' in. Remember this will also be done with France and EDF as well as being independently regulated.

It's not that I am happy that we're not doing it all but this is the situation we're at. Especially since it appears no one would be happy for the Government to borrow money to build infrastructure themselves, this is what we're left with.

[Uncle Peter]

Great bunch of lads

[Ignitionnet]

Originally Posted by Ramrod

There was I worrying (amongst other things) about secret backdoors into the code used to run the power stations, backdoors that could conceivably be used against the UK in some way. But your (addmitedly complacent and short sighted) post has put me totally at ease

That or I am studying for an MSc in Information Security and recognise how easily GCHQ can ensure the plant is airgapped. GCHQ are aggressive hackers in their own right, have top notch equipment and are at the bleeding edge alongside the NSA for technology.

As a general rule infrastructure like nuclear power stations isn't sitting there with a broadband connection to the SCADA systems. Any attempts to establish some kind of out of band communication can be detected.

It's not impossible, of course, but it's highly unlikely. Iranian uranium enrichment facilities were compromised via a physical channel.

About the only thing China could do with the plant, given there are no secrets to steal as they are building the thing, is melt it down. China would no longer build nuclear power stations anywhere if that happened, and it would in no way benefit them strategically as we would still be capable of sending a few megatons over via Trident 2 missiles.

I am typing this via a phone produced and designed in China, One Plus, connecting to a Chinese company's router, TP- Link, then onto a Chinese modem and cabinet DSLAM, both Huawei. I then go on to a Huawei switch in the exchange and on to a BRAS in the city via more Huawei kit.

Just as well I am not paranoid about China.

[mrmistoffelees]

Your infosec course not teach you about stuxnet?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuxnet

And for further reading

http://mobile.esecurityplanet.com/ne...-software.html

To my knowledge the US still has an import block on huawei products

Finally and again returning to your infosec course every system in the world can be airgapped boxed off but it only takes one human to make a mistake and its compromised

If you haven't already I'd highly reccomend you attend a blackhat conference