Cybersecurity of critical energy infrastructure is a growing concern because the industry is experiencing a significant overhaul as grids, power, water and gas become increasingly smart and automated. For utility companies, the consequences of inadequate cybersecurity include service and grid outages affecting thousands of customers, if not more. The “fourth industrial revolution,” if you will, demands major changes in the utilities sector’s technology deployments.
As awareness of this trend grows, federal governments insist that measures be enacted not just for companies that own and operate public utilities, but also for local, state and federal regulators tasked with ensuring the safety and reliability of critical services. Because of these factors, in early 2016, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) updated cybersecurity standards for U.S. electric utilities, a proactive effort to combat cybercrime.
