wiredInUSA November 2017

The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has proposed new cyber security management controls to mitigate cyber security risks on power grids. The regulator said that the proposed controls are intended to boost the reliability and resilience of the country’s bulk electric system. The new cyber security controls include mandatory controls to mitigate risks posed by malware from transient electronic devices such as laptop computers, thumb drives and other devices. In addition, the regulator has directed the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NAERC) to provide modifications and clear criteria for electronic access controls for low-impact cyber systems, and to seek ways to reduce the threat caused by malicious code. US FERC said: “Thesemodifications will address potential gaps and improve the cyber security posture of entities that must comply with the Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) standards.”

Seeking cyber security

The proposed controls enhance the present commission-endorsed CIP measures.

In a report in January, the energy department found that the electric grid system in the country is at risk from disruptive cyber attack, and that the cyber attacks on electrical grid systems are increasing in magnitude, frequency and sophistication.

wiredInUSA - November 2017

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