DOE Invests $12M in Cybersecurity Research for Energy Grid
In June 2021, CNN asked U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm if U.S. enemies could shut down the power grid. She said they could. Meanwhile, the concern over energy grid attacks has increased with the Russian attack on Ukraine.
Attackers could take down the U.S. power grid by hitting only a few substations, said Jon Wellinghoff, former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Due to growing concerns, the Department of Energy announced $12 million in funding for research projects. These aim to more securely develop the next generation of energy systems. What does this mean for the industry?
One problem is the threat of a complete shutdown of the energy grid. Following that, attacks in the energy industry are costly to both utilities and consumers. The 17th annual Cost of a Data Breach Report ranked the energy industry as fifth in costs of a data breach. The majority of cases were external attacks, and only 2% were inside jobs. These breaches cost an average of $4.65 million. In 2021, most attacks in the energy industry were social engineering attacks. Other types of common attacks include system intrusion and web applications.
The $12 million grant funding creates the following six programs:
“Investing in cutting-edge cyber security technology keeps us at the forefront of global innovation and protects America’s power grid in the face of increasing cyber threats from abroad,” said Granholm in a statement. “This funding will bolster our commitment to a secure and resilient clean energy future by fortifying American electricity systems and building a stronger grid.”
The U.S. needs to be looking for ways to secure the next-generation energy grid. That way, the nation can prevent costly shutdowns. Grants such as the recent $12 million can help ensure that. After all, the U.S. needs to remain ahead of attackers as new energy systems are developed.
Jennifer Goforth Gregory is a freelance B2B technology content marketing writer specializing in cybersecurity. Other areas of focus include B2B, finance, tec...
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