Electricity Grid Penetrated by Spies? Now What?
Published:
April 08 2009, 08:15 AM
by
Peter Stapleton
The Wall Street Journal ran an article in the technology section today headlined "Electricity Grid in U.S. Penetrated by Spies." Certainly an attention grabber "" and it should be. The author quotes a number of officials and insiders who describe the increasing number of cyber attacks on the United States electrical infrastructure, and the discovery of potentially malicious software packages left behind for possible future use.
There are several initiatives that were already underway to increase security for the nation's infrastructure. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) mandated tougher cyber security standards last year, and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) will begin auditing more stringent Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) standards this year. And there are new calls for both Federal and private sector responses to these challenges. However, as the electrical grid grows more interconnected, more truly national, and more flexible as a response to the demands of putting more renewable power on the grid the cyber security challenges will only grow.
This article is already generating quite a bit of discussion in security and tech circles. But it's also a critical reminder and warning about the importance of testing and auditing for compliance. Best practices and standards exist to help companies avoid these threats "" with a system in place, most companies are in a much better position to ensure they are meeting these standards.
By: Peter Stapleton
Peter Stapleton is an expert in the intersection of security and GRC. He’s currently the Senior Principal Product Manager for CA GRC Manager, helping drive product strategy based on market analysis and customer needs. Peter has spent much of his career in the security arena, with stints in product marketing...
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