Panetta warns that a cyberattack could shut down powergrids in major cities (Creative Commons/Ashwin John)

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta warned on Thursday that the United States was the potential target of a "cyber-Pearl Harbor" attack by foreign computer hackers.

In a speech at the Interpid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York, Panetta described how such an attack could occur. The New York Times reported:

“An aggressor nation or extremist group could use these kinds of cyber tools to gain control of critical switches,” Mr. Panetta said. “They could derail passenger trains, or even more dangerous, derail passenger trains loaded with lethal chemicals. They could contaminate the water supply in major cities, or shut down the power grid across large parts of the country.”

According to the Times, Pentagon officials said that Panetta is pushing for legislation that would require new standards at locations where a computer breach could cause significant damage.

Read the full story at The New York Times.

Find more Neon Tommy coverage on cyberattacks here.

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