http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/06...ecurity_risks/

New electricity meters being rolled out to millions of homes and businesses are riddled with security bugs that could bring down the power grid, according to a security researcher who plans to demonstrate several attacks at a security conference next month.
He said the rush to upgrade has only increased in the months following passage of Barack Obama's stimulus package, which reserved $4.5bn for smart-grid spending. To qualify, however, utilities must meet aggressive deadlines that have only accelerated companies' upgrade plans.

As a result, concerns about security have taken a back seat, said IOActive's Davis. Before the incentives were announced, several utilities approached him and asked if he would perform penetration tests on meters they planned to roll out.

"As soon as the stimulus bill came out, everybody just clammed up," he said. "It's almost impossible for us to get new devices to look at now."