The benefits of a smart electrical grid are substantial—efficiency, conservation, and safety. Well, except that last part, according to Lockheed Martin's Kenneth Van Meter, calling the smart grid a security nightmare. And guess who's in the security business?
In a recent interview, Van Meter forecasts that "by the end of 2015 we will have 440 million new hackable points on the grid. Nobody's equipped to deal with that today." Except Van Meter's employer, who is selling security solutions to utility companies across the country.
We don't have any problem with a safeguarded smart grid—in fact, it's a necessity. But taking Van Meter's word for it is akin to letting the locksmith convince you that you need stronger locks. There's nothing smart about a conflict of interest. [SmartPlanet]