From: NRECA
By Reed Karaim | RE Magazine
Once upon a time, the greatest security threat to co-op power systems was vandalism or perhaps copper theft. Unfortunately, the world is a much more complicated and dangerous place today, and electric co-ops are often on the front lines of an ongoing battle to keep the information they store secure and the grid safe and reliable.
The proliferation of interconnected smart devices is revolutionizing the efficiency and reliability of power grids. But the sprawling communication networks that are the backbone of these systems have also created vulnerabilities that can be exploited by data thieves, computer viruses, malicious hackers, and even terrorists or state-backed organizations seeking to disrupt power supply, steal profitable information, and create chaos.
“It’s a big change,” says Barry Lawson, NRECA associate director for power delivery and reliability. “Frankly, it’s changed for all utilities in the post-9/11 world and with the way we’re now linked to and dependent upon the Internet and remote capabilities for so much.”
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