Automatic Tank Gauge systems vulnerability to hacking

CLamb

I came across this article about the vulnerability of Automatic Tank Gauge systems to hacking. https://www.bitsight.com/blog/critical-vulnerabilities-discovered-automated-tank-gauge-systems It mentions that they are used in gasoline filling stations. Are they also used for fuel oil tanks?

pecmsg

anything connected to the internet is vulnerable.

Jamie Hall

Realistically, the only two things that differentiate that vulnerability from the vulnerability of, for instance, your internet connected thermostat is that it can cause a good deal more, and more expensive, damage, and by extension it's more worth the bother.

As @pecmsg said, anything connected to the internet (either hard or wireless, doesn't matter) is vulnerable. Further, any device connected to the internet which collects data can share that data with other internet connected devices — and often does. It is most prudent to assume that any connected device is a more or less public portal on what you are doing, when, where, and with whom…

Edit: most of us don't have much to worry about — except for deluging us with ads for who knows what, the monitoring and control technology isn't used — we're just not worth the effort. sorry…

CLamb

Anything is vulnerable but some things are more vulnerable than others. The systems tested can easily be made more hardened. I'd still like to know if those particular automatic tank gauge systems are used for fuel oil storage.

Jamie Hall

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1812508#Comment_1812508

Yes, among other things.

EdTheHeaterMan

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1812109#Comment_1812109

even the NEST thermostat?

EdTheHeaterMan

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1812111#Comment_1812111

most of us don't have much to worry about — except for deluging us with ads for who knows what, the monitoring and control technology isn't used — we're just not worth the effort. sorry…

Speak for yourself Jamie! 🤪

EdTheHeaterMan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLLSHBQijDk&t=57s

Long Beach Ed

SO they hack my tank monitor. Now they know I have only 1/4 tank left. What are they gonna do with that information?

EdTheHeaterMan

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1812525#Comment_1812525

Send you advertising about competetive fuel oil dealers. Or perhaps kidnap your wife and hold her for ransom until you pay your past due oil bill from two months ago. Or give up all your state secrets. be careful, theNSA is watching everything!

ChrisJ

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1812525#Comment_1812525

Or they make it so you think you have a lot more fuel so you run out and then laugh at you.

ratio

Or they make it so the delivery company thinks it's empty & hope the whistle works.

Jamie Hall

Or, just for laughs, let's say it's not the little tank at home, or even the one at your corner service station, but one in a tank farm. And the information is fed to the control room on the pipeline which allows the operator to change valves to fill this tank or that one. And it shows that a tank is empty. Operator decides to fill tank. Opens valves. But… tank is actually full. Now you have umpteen gallons per minute spilling out of the overflow.

Boom.

Fun!

Far fetched? Um. No, sorry. Trust me, folks, there are people who dream up these scenarios and figure out how to make them work for a living.