Malicious cloud customers can bring down the power grid

AI datacenters wreak havoc on the power grid under normal circumstances, so what happens if a bad actor controls all the GPUs and wants to cause harm? Cybersecurity researchers in China have devised a way for malicious tenants to attack their infrastructure provider, potentially causing blackouts or damaging equipment. The …

[Jou (Mxyzptlk)]

And ntp to sync them all...

30 Hz on-off cycle should be a good trick. Or, better half of them at 29.97 Hz :D.

[BoHu]

Re: And ntp to sync them all...

Sounds like a recipe for taking down the whole Iberian peninsula's electrical grid ... ;( [ https://www.theregister.com/offbeat/2025/04/28/power-is-out-across-spain-and-portugal-with-no-explanation/1259665 ]

[degraded RAID]

Re: And ntp to sync them all...

Or 25, depending on where you live.

[CapeCarl]

Stuxnet...

...Deja GPU ?

[IGotOut]

So in order to mitigate those attacks...

...I propose we disconnect all AI data centres from the grid.

Shall I start a petition?

[Eric 9001]

Re: So in order to mitigate those attacks...

Just disconnect all data centers that are dedicated to pretty much only harmful things from the grid - it'll make the world a better place overnight.

[Groo The Wanderer - A Canuck]

Just imagine the data centres being blocked from using civilian power infrastructure and being forced to supply their own (mandated green) energy.

[Alumoi]

As long as there is at least one politician living it will never happen.

[Groo The Wanderer - A Canuck]

Depends on whether the politician in question is a Mamdami or a Trump.

[Will Godfrey]

Well well...

Yet another (cough) benefit (cough) of AI.