>My guess is that this was a cyber attack.
>Maybe someone got into the system and raised the pressure so that the pressure regulators inside the houses failed.
Oil&gasfag and valvefag here again. Yep, I also have some experience with DCS (Distributed Control Systems) for oil & gas offshore production platforms and onshore refineries.
I'll reiterate my earlier comment that said hacks were unlikely.
This Massachussets mess does not appear to be a computer hack or computer virus like Stuxnet.
Seems more likely that:
● multiple,
● independent,
● physical
Safety systems were physically messed with.
Safety systems are 100% different systems from the Operating systems.
Think of the circuit breaker junction box in your house. It is a physical, standalone system, to prevent sudden and huge surges of electricity from blowing up or frying your electical shit.
The circuit breaker will "trip" by physically cutting (breaking) the electrical connection to the overloaded electrical wire / circuit. Similar to pulling an electrical plug out of a wall power socket.
If you are able to hack the Safety system of the circuit breakers in your house using a computer, please advise how to perform this magic.
There are multiple, physical, safety systems built into a natural gas pipeline system to relieve overpressurization.
All of the independent safety systems fail at the same time? Far too improbable.