If the targeted company is vital to critical infrastructure, the impact is even more significant. For instance, if an attack compromises the energy grid — the network of synchronized power providers and consumers connected by transmission and distribution lines — everyone relying on it will suffer the consequences in the form of lost power.Taking preemptive steps to combat this grim possibility, the U.S.
The FERC also directed the North American Electric Reliability Corp., a nonprofit institution overseeing the steadfastness of electric grids across North America, to “augment the mandatory reporting of cyber security incidents, including incidents that might facilitate subsequent efforts to harm the reliable operation of the bulk electric system,” according to the rule filing.
To help the industry reduce the incidence and severity of these hazards, top energy companies have partnered with government agencies like the Department of Energy—and sometimes even with competitors—to make great headway in improving their cybersecurity practices. Meanwhile, the information gaps that attackers take advantage of in weak security measures can be adjusted for by using enhanced intrusion detection and user authentication to identify suspicious activity. As companies look for guidance on security, comprehensive online training and clearer policy on grid defense solutions can provide the information they need.Companies that develop cybersecurity solutions are responding to this increasing and changing threat.