"New Security Tech Monitors Power Use for Warning Signs of Cyberattacks"
Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed new technology aimed at protecting governments, businesses, and other organizations from cyberattacks by monitoring power consumption for warning signs of such attacks. The technology involves a small piece of hardware that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) software to determine if a system's power usage is inconsistent with known predictable patterns. If the power consumption is unusual, the AI software will alert security staff within the organization, stating that its infrastructure could be under attack by hackers seeking to steal or lock critical information. For example, if several machines are suddenly exhibiting a similar pattern of high-power usage in specific patterns, the technology would raise an alert that crypto-ransomware might be spreading throughout the network. The technology has a wide variety of potential applications as it could be used to protect network equipment, computers, water supply, 5G infrastructure, trains, airplanes, and anything else that consumes power. This article continues to discuss the new security technology developed by researchers at the University of Waterloo to monitor power consumption for warning signs of cyberattacks and protect organizations from such attacks.