Grid securityMIT report warns U.S. electrical grid vulnerable
A new report from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology warns that the U.S. electrical grid is vulnerable to cyberatacks; according to the report, the U.S. electrical grid’s cybersecurity vulnerabilities stem from weaknesses in processes, technology, as well as the actual physical environment
A new report from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology warnsthat the U.S. electrical grid is vulnerable to cyberatacks.
According to the report, titled “Future of the Electric Grid,” the U.S. electrical grid’s cybersecurity vulnerabilities stem from weaknesses in processes, technology, as well as the actual physical environment.
“Millions of new communicating electronic devices … will introduce attack vectors — paths that attackers can use to gain access to computer systems or other communicating equipment,” the report found.
This would in turn lead to an increased likelihood of “intentional and accidental communications disruptions” including “loss of control over grid devices, loss of communications between grid entities or control centers or blackouts.”
In addition, according to the report, if hackers infiltrated critical data networks they could also steal sensitive data including which power lines are most vital for the distribution of electricity and which homes are vacant in addition to stealing personal information or corporate secrets.
The report noted that while the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and North American Electric Reliability Corp. govern cybersecurity standards for the power system, no single entity regulates cybersecurity for the distribution system itself.
To bolster security, the report recommends that the government “designate a single agency to have responsibility for working with industry and to have appropriate regulatory authority to enhance cybersecurity preparedness, response and recovery across the electric power sector, including bulk power and distribution systems.”
Patrick Miller, the president and CEO of the National Electric Sector Cybersecurity Organization, said he would gladly have a single agency with responsibility for cybersecurity.
“We would welcome a single authority,” Miller said. “We’ve seen a lot of confusion around who would have authority in the event of a cyberattack [on the power grid].”
