India Nuclear News and Discussion 4 July 2011

[Sonugn]

Some rumors about a potential cyber break at Kudankulam
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/in ... 661290.cms

The second 1,000 MW nuclear power unit at Kudankulam, owned by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India LtdNSE -0.64 % (NPCIL) stopped power generation on Saturday, said Power System Operation Corporation Ltd (POSOCO).

The atomic power plant stopped generation about 12.30 a.m. on Saturday owing to "SG level low", the company added.

The expected date of the unit's revival is not known.

It is air gapped but still..

[chetak]

Some rumors about a potential cyber break at Kudankulam
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/in ... 661290.cms

The second 1,000 MW nuclear power unit at Kudankulam, owned by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India LtdNSE -0.64 % (NPCIL) stopped power generation on Saturday, said Power System Operation Corporation Ltd (POSOCO).

The atomic power plant stopped generation about 12.30 a.m. on Saturday owing to "SG level low", the company added.

The expected date of the unit's revival is not known.

It is air gapped but still..

why only air gapped.

isolate them completely by preventing/eliminating line of sight.

[Sonugn]

If its air gapped, then could be insider attack, using an infected usb drive,
Hope KNPP has all sec devices like end point security, anti APT, firewalls & do regular sec audits with proper segregation of admin & controller networks.
Procuring, updating & having a maintenance contract for these would cost $$$, however hope that the govt has done the right thing

[chetak]

It looks like our nuclear facility at Kudankulam may have been the target of a recent cyber attack.

never believe anything until it has officially been denied.

[Sonugn]

It looks like our nuclear facility at Kudankulam may have been the target of a recent cyber attack.

attributed to units under "unit 180" Juche people

[Kashi]

If its air gapped, then could be insider attack, using an infected usb drive,

You mean like how the Iranian facilities were crippled?

[Sonugn]

If its air gapped, then could be insider attack, using an infected usb drive,

You mean like how the Iranian facilities were crippled?

Yes, sir...

[Aditya_V]

But I dont think NPCIL will go to the extent of stating it is operating at 600 MWe, and how come KNPP-1 is escaping. I think some of the SM news is sensationalism.

I live in Chennai a sudden 600 MWe drop in production would have impacted the entire southern grid for atleast 15 minutes, and Nuke plants cannot be switched on and off on whims and fancies.

There is a lobby in TN which has successfully made India a copper importer, then wants to shut down ports and Nuke plants- they want only cinema and media industry while rest of nation are beggars. They will do anything to make belive that the Nuke power plant is inherently dangerous and will blow up anytime.

For India to complete it needs good transport infrastructure, cheap energy production , basic metals in addition to proper education system etc. Thats what this lobby many of thier assets abroad are targeting.

Here is a link from NPCIL https://www.npcil.nic.in/writereaddata/ ... 019_01.pdf

Why cant think lobby first ask the 15 Nuke plants in UK, 48 Nuke plants in China, 96 Plants in USA, 5 Nuke plants in Pakistan , 58 Nuke plants, 19 Nuke plants to Shut down for 6 months - simple it would make thier industries noncompetitive.

Nuclear power is cheap source of power and steady for Industries, thats why they are targeting these 1000Mwe plants. one of key cordinators has his family in Canada.

another quote from the slide

This year five reactors will celebrate 50 years of operation. Beznau 1 in Switzerland, Nine Mile Point 1 and R.E. Ginna in the USA, and Tarapur 1&2 in India all started operating in 1969.

This is one smart nation- they keep thier country clean with the rest of the world's dirty money and Indian elite like to flaunt thier vacation videos and pics from there and trying to piss on the rest of us.

[Sonugn]

Article by Iyer Mitra, so ..
Security | Questions the alleged cyber-incident at Kudankulam Nuclear Plant raises

On October 29, authorities at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP), in Tamil Nadu, issued a statement denying (Image 1) the speculation of a cyber incident at the power plant. The Indian Express reported senior government officials saying that an audit had ‘confirmed that an “incident” had occurred (in early September), though not to the main operations of the plant’. The accumulated evidence, however, tells a far more disturbing story, albeit circumstantial, and the KKNPP denial raises more questions than it answers.

There are three pieces of circumstantial evidence that point to a significant cyber event having taken place

[chetak]

You mean like how the Iranian facilities were crippled?

Yes, sir...

weren't the Iranian facilities crippled by a contractor.

[Sonugn]

Yes, sir...

weren't the Iranian facilities crippled by a contractor.

Yes, by a expat Eyerani spy, who was in EU.
Flew into Eyeran set up an IT shop & in time got a contract at the facility.

[Aditya_V]

Saar, I dont think Npcil can put out a blatant lie that KNPP-2 is producing 600Mwe, and in the past KNPP shutdowns have been accompanied by Power Shutdowns in the State of TN and the South India. if a Nuke Power plant is shutdown it takes time to bring it back on stream.

The circumstantial evidence is pointing there has been no such shutdown.

And this is a Russian reactor, and Mr Iyer Mitra was all pro AmraaM F-16 post 27 Feb 19, past evidence suggests he is highly influenced and not based facts.

[chetak]

weren't the Iranian facilities crippled by a contractor.

Yes, by a expat Eyerani spy, who was in EU.
Flew into Eyeran set up an IT shop & in time got a contract at the facility.

Well, there you go.

he was still a contractor, nevertheless.

So, military grade or even sensible IT controls were lacking in a facility of great national importance to the eyeranians.

they were asking to be stuxed.

[chetak]

Saar, I dont think Npcil can put out a blatant lie that KNPP-2 is producing 600Mwe, and in the past KNPP shutdowns have been accompanied by Power Shutdowns in the State of TN and the South India. if a Nuke Power plant is shutdown it takes time to bring it back on stream.

The circumstantial evidence is pointing there has been no such shutdown.

And this is a Russian reactor, and Mr Iyer Mitra was all pro AmraaM F-16 post 27 Feb 19, past evidence suggests he is highly influenced and not based facts.

Saar,

It is my understanding that the reactor, per se, is completely isolated from the net. They cannot get to it.

However, the domain controller has been gotten to.

The authorities have now admitted to an "incident".

That's about as far as a baboo(n) will ever dare to go in admitting that they have been fu(ed.

If he says anything else, he could be (gasp!!) suspended or even worse, transferred. Then, bachon ka padhai, bibi ka naukari ka kya hoga, saab.

[Aditya_V]

Incident could have been an attempt yes, but without managing to shut down KNPP-2?

[chetak]

Incident could have been an attempt yes, but without managing to shut down KNPP-2?

The way things seem to have played out, there was no intention to cripple or even shut down the reactor. That would have been the easiest and also the fastest and most foolish way to get caught.

It appears that a lot of operational data may have been accessed and that may have been the intent all along.

The rest of the histrionics playing out is just the scene 2 act 2 of the great Indian baboo(n)dom's usual spectacular theatrical production and embellished dramatization of the magnum opus called "CYA or cover your arse", first copyrighted by the britshits in 1857, thereafter reverentially passed on to the ICS and thence onwards to the spider webbed successor organisation of the "Indian baboo(n)s"

just saying onlee.

[Sonugn]

Incident could have been an attempt yes, but without managing to shut down KNPP-2?

The way things seem to have played out, there was no intention to cripple or even shut down the reactor. That would have been the easiest and also the fastest and most foolish way to get caught.

It appears that a lot of operational data may have been accessed and that may have been the intent all along.

The rest of the histrionics playing out is just the scene 2 act 2 of the great Indian baboo(n)dom's usual spectacular theatrical production and embellished dramatization of the magnum opus called "CYA or cover your arse", first copyrighted by the britshits in 1857, thereafter reverentially passed on to the ICS and thence onwards to the spider webbed successor organisation of the "Indian baboo(n)s"

just saying onlee.

1) Microsoft AD was compromised
2) So all usernames/passwords for all computers/Laptops joining there would be compromised as well.
3) Since AD can push certain security policies to all clients (all computers/Laptops joining the domain), these policies would be compromised as well
4) Now if Gods forbid if network switches/firewalls etc are integrated with AD for authentication/authorization, this would be compromised as well
5) Users PCs/laptops generally are configured to save their work files on shares on the AD, assume a compromise of this as well
6) Generally AD would be integrated with other servers as well, so............
7) Now as to what the work files contain, could be details about tenders, attendance data, financial data etc, hopefully no moronic admin created a file called "All devices username/passwords".txt file!!!!

Above would be typical scenario in any "administrative section".

Now coming to the "industrial/plant/reactor network":-

1) They have their own controllers that can be integrated with TCP/IP
2) This network needs to be totally separate from the above mentioned "administrative section".
3) This network also can have its own set of servers (Microsoft/Unix/etc) with even another AD

Hopefully nothing got into the "industrial/plant/reactor network".

[Sonugn]

So now confirmation:-
Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL): Identification of malware in NPCIL system is correct. Investigation revealed that infected computer belonged to user who was connected in the internet connected network, used for administrative purposes. via ANI

Seems to be only on the administration network.

[disha]

Admin systems were compromised and not control systems. They are generally air gapped.

Of course lot of so-called security experts will come out of wood work, but the fact is that this should not be seen as new. All systems (admin and control) are always under attack including a via a 'stray device on an open port'.

The admin systems are generally more open and hence more vulnerable to attacks from such threat vectors. Solutions exist.

[Barath]

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/k ... 2019-10-30

Dtrack is used by a North Korea-based hacker group Lazarus.

What is DTrack?

DTrack, as flagged by cyber-security firm Kaspersky, is used by hackers to attack financial and research centres in India. It's earlier version ATMDtrack was designed to hack ATMs in India.

[chetak]

Admin systems were compromised and not control systems. They are generally air gapped.

Of course lot of so-called security experts will come out of wood work, but the fact is that this should not be seen as new. All systems (admin and control) are always under attack including a via a 'stray device on an open port'.

The admin systems are generally more open and hence more vulnerable to attacks from such threat vectors. Solutions exist.

there are systems and techniques that have the ability to jump airgaps and have been used to penetrate high security military and financial networks.

There are tons of systems and techniques out there.


this small sample set is per wiki

Limitations

Limitations imposed on devices used in these environments may include a ban on wireless connections to or from the secure network, or similar restrictions on EM leakage from the secure network through the use of TEMPEST or a Faraday cage.

Further, scientists in 2013 demonstrated the viability of air gap malware designed to defeat air gap isolation using acoustic signaling.[14] Shortly after that, network security researcher Dragos Ruiu's BadBIOS received press attention.[15]

In 2014, researchers introduced "AirHopper", a bifurcated attack pattern showing the feasibility of data exfiltration from an isolated computer to a nearby mobile phone, using FM frequency signals.[8][9]

In 2015, BitWhisper, a covert signaling channel between air-gapped computers using thermal manipulations was introduced. BitWhisper supports bidirectional communication and requires no additional dedicated peripheral hardware.[16][17]

Later in 2015, researchers introduced GSMem, a method for exfiltrating data from air-gapped computers over cellular frequencies. The transmission - generated by a standard internal bus - renders the computer into a small cellular transmitter antenna.[18][19]

ProjectSauron malware discovered in 2016 demonstrates how an infected USB device can be used to remotely leak data off of an air-gapped computer. The malware remained undetected for 5 years and relied on hidden partitions on a USB drive not visible to Windows as a transport channel between the air-gapped computer and a computer connected to the internet, presumably as a way to share files between the two systems.[20]

NFCdrip was the name given to the discovery of stealthy data exfiltration through NFC (Near-field communication) radio abuse and signal detection in 2018. Although NFC enables devices to establish effective communication by bringing them within a few centimeters of each other,[21] researchers showed that it can be abused to transmit information at a much longer range than expected - up to 100 meters.[22]

In general, malware can exploit various hardware combinations to leak sensitive information from air-gapped systems using "air-gap covert channels".[23] These hardware combinations use a number of different mediums to bridge the air-gap, including: acoustic, light, seismic, magnetic, thermal, and radio-frequency

[sum]

North Korean hackers targeted Tamil Nadu Nuclear plant, S.Korean intel group

Looks like a lot more has happened that we are being let known

[jaysimha]

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Department of Atomic Energy
24-December-2019 13:15 IST
Year End Review: Department of Atomic Energy

The major policies and programmes by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) during the year 2019 are given below:

https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease ... lid=196070

[Vips]

First indigenous 700 MW (PHWR) to start operations at Kakrapar in April.

Unit 3 of the Kakrapar nuclear power plant in Gujarat is likely to be made operational in April 2020, said Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State , Prime Minister’s Office, on Tuesday.

“The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is going to commission one reactor every year from 2020. Kakrapar-3 is likely to be operational by April 2020,” he said.

Currently, there are 22 reactors operational across the country with an installed capacity of 6780 MW. Officials said that Unit 4 of Kakrapar is likely to become operational in 2021. Both Unit-3 & 4 are 700 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Rectors and are being constructed by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd.

Shrikrishna Gupta, a senior DAE official, said that Tarapur nuclear power reactors, Units 1 and 2, completed 50 years of operation this year. They are the first boiling water reactors to be commissioned in the country, in October 1969.

Mr. Gupta added that Unit-1 of the Kaiga nuclear power plant also recently created a world record by operating continuously for 941 days.

[vishvak]

North Korean hackers targeted Tamil Nadu Nuclear plant, S.Korean intel group

Looks like a lot more has happened that we are being let known

What were they looking for exactly, that another country doesn't have or were they just checking.

Hopefully the government funds thorium tech on one side, as long term investment.

[Vips]

High time now that DAE commissions the long delayed FBTR.

In 1974, the country was excluded from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty for acquiring nuclear weapons capability, and during the next three decades in isolation, when it was viewed as a nuclear pariah, the country developed a three-stage nuclear program based on a closed-fuel cycle, where spent fuel of one stage is reprocessed to produce fuel for the next stage.

The first step of the three-stage program involves building indigenously engineered PHWRs fueled by natural uranium (U). “Natural uranium contains only 0.7% of U-235, which undergoes fission to release energy (200 Mev/atom). The remaining 99.3% comprises U-238, which is not fissile, however, it is converted in the nuclear reactor to fissile element Plutonium-239 [Pu-239]. In the fission process, among other fission products, a small quantity of Pu-239 is formed by transmutation of U-238,” NPCIL explained. The country’s first 220-MW PHWR at Rajasthan 1, completed in 1973, was based on CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium) technology, but India relied on domestic designs for the others after Canadian assistance was withdrawn in 1974, even as the second Rajasthan unit was under construction. In 1981, it completed Rajasthan 2, and went on to complete Madras 1 and 2 between 1984 and 1986 using a standardized 220-MW PHWR design. Kaiga 1 and 2, and Rajasthan 3 and 4, which came online around 2000, incorporated improvements to the design.

The nuclear program’s second stage comprises fast breeder reactors (FBRs), which are fueled by mixed oxide of U-238 and Pu-239, recovered by reprocessing of the spent fuel from the first stage. Once the program has established enough inventory of Pu-239, the fast reactors will use Thorium-232 to breed U-233, NPCIL said. The country currently has plans to build two prototype FBRs at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu, a site that already hosts a 500-MW fast breeder test reactor. In September 2018, the Department of Atomic Energy announced that the test reactor—which was originally expected to be commissioned in 2012 and has suffered several delays—is expected to achieve criticality in 2019 (That deadline was also missed). In the third stage, using wholly indigenous technology, the country will use advanced heavy-water reactors fueled with U-233 obtained from the irradiation of thorium in PHWRs and fast reactors.

[Gerard]

There are apparently issues with the sodium coolant pumps. Extra cautious is good. The last thing India needs is a sodium fire or coolant system failure in an operating fast breeder loaded with plutonium. Let them take another year (or two) and make damn sure everything is safe.

The highly placed official in the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) whom Nuclear Asia spoke to confirmed that Sodium coolant was poured into the secondary system of the reactor, but the results did not go as per expectations. The fuel loading in the reactor is the next step after coolant pouring. “Sodium was loaded on to the reactor. Now it is being drained out and moisture-laden CO2 is being passed through it. The whole process takes a lot of time, around 21 days. We do have some small teething problems,” the official told Nuclear Asia on condition of anonymity. He also added that the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) is extra cautious as it is a new technology. The main objective of PFBR has been to demonstrate the techno-economic viability of sodium fast reactor for the commercial deployment.

http://www.nuclearasia.com/news/prototy ... lans/3254/

[sivab]

^^^
There was an issue with electro magnetic pumps of secondary cooling channels in 2018. It was resolved in March 2019. Then they discovered an issue with Large Rotatable Plug (LRP) which was being addressed in 2019. They expect to go online in 2021. You can read all the details in their annual report below.

http://www.bhavini.nic.in/writereaddata ... ort/42.pdf

[Gyan]

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Department of Atomic Energy
24-December-2019 13:15 IST
Year End Review: Department of Atomic Energy

The major policies and programmes by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) during the year 2019 are given below:

https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease ... lid=196070

No Reference to additional ten 700MW PHWR reactors planned for construction by Govt.

[Gerard]

India is building nuclear submarines and ICBMs. That’s a $14 billion mistake.

Fatwa from non proliferation ayatollahs.

The Strategic Postures of China and India: A Visual Guide

Hadith for the above Fatwa

[sanjaykumar]

Whores encouraging chastity.

[vishvak]

It's like saying that pakis don't have long term goals except warfare malcontent against non-believers but if pakis can't then it is India's problem that pakis can not.

[Aditya_V]

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Department of Atomic Energy
24-December-2019 13:15 IST
Year End Review: Department of Atomic Energy

The major policies and programmes by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) during the year 2019 are given below:

https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease ... lid=196070

No Reference to additional ten 700MW PHWR reactors planned for construction by Govt.

These are last thing GOI would want to publish, we have seen how various NGO's /Media destroy such plans, it is better keep things under wraps till commissioning.

[Cyrano]

No need to self flagellate on the delays in our new design nuclear reactor construction plans.

Just look at France EPR reactor story & timelines.
The EPR reactor in Flamanville within France started in 2007 is still not commissioned, the EPR in Olkiluoto 3 (Finland) is still languishing.
Part of the delays are due to ever stringent safety and environmental protection norms pushed by hyperactive and influential anti-nuclear & Green lobbies in France & Europe. Some scientists and experts have gone on record saying such requirements are needless and senseless and are designed to make these programs fail due to cost and time overruns.

Case in point: The EPR project France bind and won in China to build 2 reactors Taishan 1 and Taishan 2 were started in 2009/10 and both were commissioned in 2018/19 and are operating commercially.

India can afford to take its time to do a good job and keep things out of needless media & pressure groups' attention.

[ashbhee]

Hello,
New to this discussion.
Is India working on LFTR reactor?
With abundant Thorium, if India masters LFTR technology it will be a game changer.

[vishvak]

Who knows if Indian nuke reactor design turns out to be safer or safe enough (is already) but who can stop repeated protests.

[Gerard]

Is India working on LFTR reactor?
With abundant Thorium, if India masters LFTR technology it will be a game changer.

India is working on the Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR) that will use LEU-Th MOX fuel

[Haridas]

^^ indian AHWR is like PhD project report of 55 year old Kanahiya Kumar of JNU in pipeline and awaiting submittal (hopefully before he hits the bucket).

Just bury it and release funds for somthing tangible/meaningful .
Civilian nuclear energy program is a farce imho.
Funny to see time frozen in 300 MWe scale plan/plant.

[Varoon Shekhar]

Everytime I see a new posting under this thread, I am just hoping it's to report the commissioning of a reactor, whether in Kalpakkam, Kakrapar, Rawatbhatta or Jaitpur. Alas, no news in this regard

[Hiten]

How A Chinese Transfer Helped India Power It's Reactors - A One-Off Instance
https://www.spansen.com/2020/07/chinese ... ctors.html

When India Trained The Saudis, Chinese, Afghans & Others In Matters Nuclear
https://www.spansen.com/2020/07/india-t ... atter.html