National Governors Association’s Post

Bredec Group Feds aimed secret cybersecurity briefing at energy sector executives: memo - Yahoo Canada Finance: Feds aimed secret cybersecurity briefing at energy sector executives: memo  Yahoo Canada Finance Inquiry@bredec.com

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced Monday a funding of US$45 million to protect the nation from cyber threats and improve cybersecurity in its energy sector. The agency announced 16 research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) projects selected by the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) across six states to develop new tools and technologies to prevent cyber attacks and reduce energy disruptions from cyber incidents.    The six topic areas covered by the CESER included automated cyberattack prevention and mitigation; security and resiliency by design; authentication mechanisms for energy delivery systems; automated methods to discover and mitigate vulnerabilities; cybersecurity through advanced software solutions; and integration of new concepts and technologies with existing infrastructure. Cyber attacks can cause significant disruption to the reliable flow of energy to American homes, businesses, and communities. This investment will address various current and emerging cyber threats facing energy systems from generation through delivery. Accelerating investments in cybersecurity is critical to achieving President Joe Biden’s ambitious clean energy and climate goals and essential to ensuring a secure, reliable energy supply for American families and businesses. “DOE is committed to strengthening the nation’s energy sector, including protecting it against current or emerging cyber threats that would threaten Americans’ access to secure, reliable energy,” Jennifer M. Granholm, the U.S. Secretary of Energy, said in a media statement. “With today’s announcement, the Biden-Harris Administration is helping teams across the country develop innovative next-generation cybersecurity solutions for tackling modern-day challenges.”

UConn is leading from the front in more than just Basketball (yeah, I threw in a sports reference!) CyberCARE, a new project launching in May, was developed to address gaps in research surrounding energy security and provide cybersecurity education programs. Overall, $15Mil in funding will be granted for Research and Training across six university-based cybersecurity centers. "This investment in university-based cybersecurity centers will enable us to simultaneously grow the U.S. cyber workforce and build the expertise we need to take on the evolving cyber threats to our nation's energy systems," UConn, in partnership with @eversource Energy, has a $3.6M initiative to build a strong cybersecurity team and create smart defenses. #Cybersecurity #EnergySecurity #protectthegrid

Cyber security influence in Energy and oil industries The World Economic Forum's Oil and Gas Sector Cybersecurity Community is taking on the challenges of innovation in their industry. Three major hurdles were identified: adoption of new technologies, regulatory change, and partnering to enable collective defense. Their goal is to develop tools and frameworks that accelerate the adoption of proven approaches for cyber resilience. Discussions within the community establish and align cybersecurity principles, benchmark best practices, and meet global challenges. Nice insights: https://lnkd.in/edU_TTB9 #cybersecurity #oilandgas #innovation

👻 How to Secure the Energy Sector from Cyber Threats: A Holistic and Collaborative Approach 🤝 Cybersecurity risk in energy infrastructure is a serious and growing concern for the energy sector and the nation as a whole. Recent cyberattacks, such as the Colonial Pipeline ransomware incident, have shown how malicious actors can disrupt the supply and delivery of energy, affecting the economy and the daily lives of millions of Americans. As the energy sector becomes more digitalized and interconnected, it also becomes more vulnerable to cyber threats from various sources, such as nation-state actors, cybercriminals, and hacktivists. These threats can target not only the information technology (IT) systems that support the business operations of energy companies, but also the operational technology (OT) systems that control the physical infrastructure and processes of energy production, transmission, and distribution. To address these challenges, the energy sector needs to adopt a proactive and comprehensive approach to cybersecurity that covers all aspects of their operations, from strategy and governance to technology and culture. Some of the key elements of this approach are: 1. Strategic intelligence on threats and actors before attacks on the network. Energy companies need to monitor and analyze the evolving cyber threat landscape and identify the most likely and impactful scenarios that could affect their operations. They also need to integrate cybersecurity considerations into their strategic decisions, such as expanding their infrastructure or entering new markets. 2. Programs to reduce geographic and operational gaps in awareness and communication, creating a culture of security. Energy companies need to ensure that their cybersecurity policies and practices are consistent and aligned across their different business units, locations, and partners. They also need to foster a security-aware culture among their employees and stakeholders, and establish clear processes for reporting and responding to potential vulnerabilities and incidents. 3. Industry-wide collaboration to address the increasing convergence of physical and virtual threats. Energy companies need to work together with their peers, regulators, suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders to share best practices, standards, and information on cybersecurity issues. They also need to coordinate their efforts to protect the critical interdependencies between physical and cyber infrastructure, as well as IT and OT networks. Cybersecurity is not only a technical challenge, but also a strategic imperative for the energy sector. By taking a holistic and collaborative approach to cybersecurity, energy companies can enhance their resilience, competitiveness, and reputation in the face of growing cyber risks. #cybersecurity #energysector #ransomware #ITOT #collaboration #energy #Risk #threatmanagement #cyberattacks

Bredec Group DOE $70M grid security and resilience funding targets cybersecurity, wildfires, other risks - Urgent Comms - Urgent Communications: DOE $70M grid security and resilience funding targets cybersecurity, wildfires, other risks - Urgent Comms  Urgent Communications Inquiry@bredec.com

A top oil and gas producer in North America wanted to accelerate its cyber security maturity in the face of rising challenges. Like many energy companies, this organization has a wide range of ICS vendor systems and had one of the largest global installations for one of the major DCS vendors. Senior leadership recognized they were a significant target, not just because of the safety or environmental risks they faced, but also as a ransomware target given the financial impact of a potential shut down. See how Verve significantly improved their #OTsecurity posture by sticking to the budget and headcount constraints:

"The impact of the cybersecurity incident can affect operators of critical infrastructure across the U. K. as a result of the developing cyber attack on the systems of Energy One." https://lnkd.in/gzMk5WPK #cybersecurity #criticalinfrastructure #cyberattack #industrialcybersecurity #energyindustry #uksecurity #industrialcyber #icssecurity #ics

🛡️ DOE invests $45 million to fortify US energy sector to enhance cybersecurity, protect from cyber threats 💰 Big news from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) - they're unleashing $45 million to turbocharge cybersecurity in our energy sector! 💰 Get ready for 16 game-changing projects aimed at fortifying our energy infrastructure against cyber threats! 🛡️ With innovative tools and tech on the horizon, our energy grid is gearing up for the ultimate cyber defense! 💪 Let's power up our security and keep the lights on for America! 🌐 #CyberStrong #DOE #EnergySecurity

Increasingly, #utilities' information technology, operational technology, and telecommunications infrastructure are becoming inseparable. Keeping energy infrastructure safe and secure, including against evolving #cybersecurity threats, will be critical. Anterix and our collaborators EPRI, George Mason University, Southern Company, and Virginia Tech look forward to helping advance cutting-edge technologies and solutions to reduce cyber risks to the grid. https://lnkd.in/eGfMKGzS