2021年经济学人 美国要害--不堪一击的能源基础设施(2)（在线收听）

Yet weaknesses remain. The shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline exposes gaps in companies’ cyber-armour. It also reveals the idea that shale oil might guarantee energy security to be a fallacy. Oil may be fungible but oil infrastructure is not, notes Michael Tran of RBC Capital Markets. America’s north-east is particularly exposed to attack, Mr Tran says. A dearth of local refineries makes the region dependent on pipelines and tankers for oil products.

但弱点依然存在。Colonial Pipeline输油管道的关闭暴露出各大企业存在网络防护上的漏洞。这也揭示了页岩油可能保障国家能源安全的观点是一种谬论。加拿大皇家银行资本市场的迈克尔·特兰指出，石油也许是可替代的，但石油基础设施却不可或缺。特兰表示，美国东北部的石油基础设施系统尤其容易受到攻击。当地炼油厂的缺乏使美国东北部依赖于输送石油产品的管道和油轮。

The federal government’s cyber-defences are imperfect, too. The Government Accountability Office (GAO), the agency charged with criticising other agencies, has found cyber-security a particularly rich subject. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is supposed to help safeguard oil and gas pipelines; in 2019 the GAO identified “factors that limit the usefulness of TSA’s risk assessment”. In March the GAO reported that the Department of Energy’s plans for cyber protection “do not fully address risks to the grid’s distribution systems”, leaving big cities vulnerable.

联邦政府的网络防御也同样存在漏洞。以评判其他机构为职能的美国政府问责办公室（GAO）发现，网络安全这个话题大有文章。美国运输安全管理局（TSA）应该帮助防护石油和天然气管道；2019年，GAO确定了“限制TSA风险评估实用性的因素”。今年3月，GAO报告称，能源部的网络保护计划“没有完全解决输油网络运输配送系统的风险”，大城市仍然不堪一击。

Worryingly, cyber-attacks may increase in number and ambition. Hackers are using ransomware to infiltrate larger companies and seek higher payments. Their average ransom payment has roughly doubled over the past year, according to Coveware, a tracking firm. Furthermore, changes to the electricity system may, without sufficient planning, make it more vulnerable. As more devices are connected to the internet, hackers have a larger number of targets. As more cars run on electricity rather than combustion, a blackout can wreak broader damage.Andas transmission lines connect distant power systems, helping to balance intermittent wind and solar power, a problem in one grid can have an impact on another.

令人担忧的是，网络攻击可能会变得多发，黑客们的狼子野心也会愈加膨胀。黑客正在利用勒索软件入侵更大的公司以谋求更高的报酬。根据追踪公司Coveware的数据，大型公司的平均赎金支付额在过去一年里大约翻了一番。此外，在没有充分规划的情况下，电力系统的变革可能会使黑客攻击更易发生。随着越来越多的设备接入互联网，黑客的目标也越来越多。随着越来越多的汽车依靠电力驱动，而不再燃烧汽油，停电会造成更大规模的损害。随着输电线路连接远距离电力系统以帮助平衡间歇性的风能和太阳能，一个电网的问题也会对另一个电网产生影响。

These challenges are not unique to America. But they pose a particular headache for President Joe Biden, who is trying to win support for climate proposals in his $2trn infrastructure bill. Limiting climate change and fighting cyberthreats are hardly mutually exclusive endeavours. Mr Biden must make a credible case that he can make America’s energy system both greener and more secure.

这些挑战并非美国独有。但对于试图赢得2万亿美元基础设施法案中气候提案的支持的拜登来说，这些挑战尤其伤脑筋。限制气候变化和对抗网络威胁的努力并不互斥。拜登必须提出一个可信的理由，证明他能够使美国的能源系统更加环保和安全。