Utilities Tech Outlook Weekly Brief
Be first to read the latest tech news, Industry Leader's Insights, and CIO interviews of medium and large enterprises exclusively from Utilities Tech Outlook
The cyber security threats of power utilities will continue to rise. The current systems of utilities are becoming increasingly interconnected across sensors and networks and are becoming increasingly difficult to monitor due to their distributed existence.
Fremont, CA: Cybersecurity has been a major concern for utilities for decades because of the role they have played as owners of vital infrastructure networks and suppliers of essential services. Cyber attacks have the ability to disrupt the country's power grid, with the main purpose of causing widespread infrastructure failures. As a result, concerns about cyber security remain at the top of utilities' agendas, motivated by the increasing interconnected existence of infrastructure and networks and the increasing number of attacks targeting utilities.
The cyber security threats of power utilities will continue to rise. The current systems of utilities are becoming increasingly interconnected across sensors and networks and are becoming increasingly difficult to monitor due to their distributed existence.
Also See: Top Cyber Security Companies in Europe
As utilitarian infrastructures become more integrated, smart and decentralized, a centralized approach to protecting them is challenging and will become increasingly unsustainable. While central monitoring and oversight are necessary, it is not sufficient, as the central system cannot respond quickly enough to threats, particularly as control is fragmented across a broad range of systems, such as microgrids. There will be a growing burden on edge elements and local systems to be resilient to cyber attacks, while at the same time being versatile to support the stability of the larger energy system in the event of a cyber attack on the electricity grid.
Many policymakers are tackling the task of protecting the vital national infrastructure of their countries against cyber attacks. Utilities cannot risk opening up critical infrastructure assets to cyber attacks that could cause dangerous equipment failures, widespread blackouts, or compromises on clean water sources. While the Internet of Things (IoT) has become a key enabler in modernizing the infrastructure of critical utilities, it has also exposed power utilities to a host of new threats and vulnerabilities. Security remains, therefore the number one obstacle to the wider industrial uptake of IoT.
Check Out: Top Utilities Tech Solution Companies
