The security experts from ESET company have discovered a new malware, called Industroyer, that was designed to target equipment installed in power grids.

The experts claim that Industroyer is very dangerous software because it is capable of attacking so-called critical infrastructure, through controlling electricity substation switches and circuit breakers directly. To do so, it uses industrial communication protocols used worldwide in power supply infrastructure, transportation control systems, and other critical infrastructure systems (such as water and gas).

Malicious software has a primary and secondary backdoor feature  a port scanner to search the local network for attached devices, and a data wiper module that deletes the malware and destroys the target's computer.

The Industroyer has already been deployed in live attacks in Ukraine. The experts from ESET suspect that the attack on the Ukrainian power grid was an Industroyer test. This should be a sign for other institutions to increase their security measures to prevent similar attacks.