These threat actors are increasingly capable of attacking the grid. Securing the U.S. Electricity Grid from Cyberattacks | U.S. GAO. China launched "probing cyber attacks" on India's power grid in strategically located Ladakh thrice since December 2021 but did not succeed because safeguards were in place to thwart such intrusions, Union Power Minister R K Singh said on Thursday. Duke Energy workers repair an electrical substation that they said was hit by gunfire, near Pinehurst, North Carolina, on Tuesday. This funding could allow criminal groups to purchase more sophisticated capabilities to carry out the ultimate ransomware attack. There are many ways to help mitigate threats to the energy infrastructure from cyber, physical and existential causes. The energy industry is vulnerable. (modern). At least 20 actual physical attacks werereported, compared with sixin all of 2021. The gaps for cyber -attackers have been recognized by government and industry. The DOE has run a pilot program, known as the Cybersecurity Risk Information Sharing Program (CRISP), for several years to help companies detect advanced threats targeting their networks. In a centralized system, if I [want] to take out one coal-fired plant, I dont even have to take out the plant, I just have to take out the transmission line, said Taylor. The General Accounting Office (GAO) has explicitly stated that the U.S, Energy Grid is vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Illustration of a coronal mass ejection impacting the Earth s atmosphere. The Barack Obama administration publicly named the foreign actors behind some attacks and provided supporting evidence on a case-by-case basis. Its unknown who is behind the attacks but experts have long warned of discussion among extremists of disrupting the nations power grid. Thus, the United States should take measures to prevent a cyberattack on its power grid and mitigate the potential harm should preventive efforts fail. In February, three men who ascribed to white supremacy and Neo-Nazismpleaded guilty to federal crimes related to a scheme to attack the grid with rifles. Russia's attacks on Ukraine's energy grid on November 23, 2022 killed or injured over 30 civilians and interrupted access to power for . The threat is not only from white supremacists, but eco-terrorists have also physically attacked plants in the past. Power plants and substations are dispersed in every corner of the country, connected by transmission lines that transport electricity through farmland, forests and swamps. Those operations need to be exercised on a regional and coordinated basis. The truth is, it is nigh on impossible to make the entire network impregnable. Lloyds of London, an insurance underwriter, developed a plausible scenario for an attack on the Eastern Interconnectionone of the two major electrical grids in the continental United Stateswhich services roughly half the country. A US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report released in January warned that domestic extremists have been developing credible, specific plans to attack electricity infrastructure since at least 2020. However, considerable potential exists to miscalculate both the impact of a cyberattack on the U.S. grid and how the U.S. government might respond. The problem is that substations make easy soft targets and there are more than 55,000 connected to the grid in the US. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)which regulates the interstate transmission of electricityhas approved mandatory grid cybersecurity standards. Based on precedents from both cyber- and non-cyberattacks over multiple administrations, government agencies would likely advocate for a show of firm resolve but recommend avoiding a rush to judgment or an immediate counterattack. America is a powerful country, but its power grid is vulnerable. Shelley Lynch, a spokesperson for the FBI's Charlottefield office, confirmed the bureau was investigating the North Carolina attack. Solar flares are made up of high-energy particles resulting from explosions on the Suns surface. April 6, 2023, Backgrounder Carrying out a cyberattack that successfully disrupts grid operations would be extremely difficult but not impossible. A successful ransomware attack in 2021 on the Colonial Pipeline provided a window into that vulnerability and the many attacks points via the cross-pollination of IT and SCADA networks. Opioid addiction and abuse in the United States has become a prolonged epidemic, endangering public health, economic output, and national security. Pre-Attack Measures. In 2019, we recommendedthat FERC consider adopting changes to its approved standards to more fully address federal guidance and evaluate the potential risks of a coordinated attack. Given the fragility of many industrial control systems, even reconnaissance activity risks accidentally causing harm. On December 23, 2015, two days before Christmas, the power grid in the Ivano-Frankivsk region of Ukraine went down for a reported six hours, leaving about half the homes in the region with a . Humans in orbit are also very vulnerable to these events, whose high-energy particles are not shield by typical spacecraft. Through cooperation, the U.S. government has been able to determine the parties behind most major attacks. We have 18 critical infrastructures food, water, medical care, telecommunications, investments, the works and all 17 of the others depend heavily on the electric grid, said former CIA Director, James Woolsey, before the Cybersecurity and EMP Legislative Working Group. The continued expansion of distributed generation in the form of wind and solar installations could also significantly reduce the magnitude of an attack on the grid; however, most rooftop systems feed directly into the grid, and homes and businesses do not draw from their own systems. Portland General Electric, a public utility that provides electricity to nearly half of the states population, said it had begun repairs after suffering a deliberate physical attack on one of our substations that also occurred in the Clackamas area in late November 2022. A power plant employee adjusts the wiring of a power unit in North Texas. A Russian military-linked hacking group has attempted to infiltrate Ukrainian power substations and deploy malicious code capable of cutting electricity, Ukrainian government officials and private . of Justice. The Ukrainian government has revealed it narrowly averted a serious cyber-attack on the country's power grid. This is good news as both government and industry need to better collaborate in the energy sector and focus on cybersecurity. How the U.S. Can Protect Its Power Grid. (powermag.com), Will Vulnerable U.S. Electric Grid Get a New Protection Mandate? Although attribution was not definitive, geopolitical circumstances and forensic evidence suggest Russian involvement. It is here. As the lead federal agency for the energy sector, DOE has developed plans to implement a national cybersecurity strategy for protecting the grid. People waiting for taxi in central Kyiv on November 24. by Will Freeman Russia's cyber attack on Ukraine's grid in 2015 knocked about 60 substations offline, leaving 230,000 people in the dark. The DOE should model its efforts on the Department of Defenses Cyber Crime Center, which provides intelligence feeds and forensic support to companies within the defense industrial base. Stay informed as we add new reports & testimonies. February 13, 2023 Components are labelled with random serial numbers, with many connections glowing in yellow color too. The Democratic Republic of Congo has been subjected to centuries of international intervention by European powers, as well as its African neighbors. Attacks on power grids are no longer a theoretical concern. The cost to protect all these stations from physical threats is significant and requires strong law enforcement coordination. At least 108 human-related events were reported during the first eight months of 2022, compared with 99 in all of 2021 and 97 in 2020. by Mitchell Ferman March 31, 2022 5 AM Central. Within weeks, the U.S. government would have confidence in its attribution. The original version showed death rates as a percentage rather Today is Equal Pay Daya date that symbolizes how far into the next year women must work to earn Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Women Continue to Struggle for Equal Pay and Representation, On Equal Pay Day, We Look at the Disparities in Earnings and Representation for Female Managers, The Additional Risks and Challenges for Pregnant Women in Rural and Underserved Communities, The Gender Pay Gap and Its Effect on Womens Retirement Savings, Securing the U.S. Electricity Grid from Cyberattacks. But the electricity grid is an attractive target for cyberattacks from U.S. adversariessuch as nations like China and Russia, as well as individual bad actors, such as insiders and criminals. For example, the strategy does not include a complete assessment of all the cybersecurity risks to the grid. The 2003 Northeast Blackout left fifty million people without power for four days and caused economic losses between $4 billion and $10 billion. A USA TODAY analysis of reports that utilities provided to the Department of Energy through August show: Since September, attacks or potential attacks have been reported on at least 18 additional substations and one power plantin Florida, Oregon, Washington and the Carolinas. Given the recent news of Industroyer2 targeting Ukrainian electrical substations in April 2022 and the increased threat of cyber attacks on energy infrastructure, IronNet Threat Research took an interest . In the first eight months ofthis year, 34 suspicious incidents were reported. The attack on the Ukrainian power grid in 2015 was the first publicly documented cyberattack against critical infrastructure that led to a power outage (FireEye Citation 2016) and the first known attack on an energy grid carried out completely remote ("Power grid cyberattack" Citation 2019; McLellan Citation 2016). The White House would set the public posture for the response. Data reveals tha t 77% of assets within the energy sector retain porous Information Technology (IT) or Operational Technology (OT) boundaries, making them uniquely vulnerable to cyber threats. Authentication Mechanisms for Energy Delivery Systems: Automated Methods to Discover and Mitigate Vulnerabilities: Cybersecurity through Advanced Software Solutions: Integration of New Concepts and Technologies with Existing Infrastructure. Weve made a bit of progress, but the system is still quite vulnerable, he said. protect the nation's power grid, but experts have warned . There are more than 55,000 transmission substations, the grid's exit ramps where high-voltage power is stepped down . The U.S. power grid is suffering a decade-high surge in attacks as extremists, vandals and cyber criminals increasingly take aim at the nation's . In 2017, Russia deployed the notorious NotPetya malware via Ukrainian accounting software and . There have also been foiled attacks. NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 27, 2023 / Edison International. In December 2022, power station attacks in Moore . November 4, 2022 Moreover, current federal requirements do not extend to power distribution, which is regulated unevenly at the state level. Helping reduce the vulnerability and fortify the U.S. Energy Grid has become an urgent need, and the clock is ticking. State actors are the most likely perpetrators of a power grid attack. Find out more about our work on electricity grid cybersecurity by checking out our recent reports linked above. By focusing on detecting early signs of an attack and sharing that information within the sector and with the government, even when individual utilities fail to detect attacks on themselves, they can warn the government and other companies and help prevent wider disruption. Unfortunately, the US has had much practice in this area and preparation and resilience and the key to recovery. A curation of original analyses, data visualizations, and commentaries, examining the debates and efforts to improve health worldwide. As the adage says, we are in this all together because the stakes are so high. (powermag.com). When shootings at two electrical substations in North Carolina left 40,000 customers without power for days, the incident . The likelihood that an attack carried out by a determined and capable adversary would be thwarted by security measures is low. For example, and similar to the above, the standards do not include a full assessment of cybersecurity risks to the grid. by James McBride and Noah Berman They can damage artificial satellites and cause long-lasting power outages. [These attacks] are a real threat.. How the U.S. government reacts will determine whether a cyberattack has a continuing impact on geopolitics. These three interconnections operate independently to provide electricity to their regions. Industroyer2 had been scheduled to cut power for a region in Ukraine on April 8 th; fortunately, the attack was thwarted before it could wreak further havoc on the war-torn country. Power lines in Oregon, seen after a wildfire. The country has inflicted malware on America in the past and might not be particularly concerned . Power companies use Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) networks to control their industrial systems and many of these SCADA networks need to be updated and hardened to meet growing cybersecurity threats. Given the large number of utilities and the vast infrastructure to protect, even with improved cybersecurity, an adversary would still be likely to find numerous unprotected systems that can be disrupted. These recommendations have not been implemented yet, leaving the grid vulnerable. The governments main role would be attributing the attack and responding to it. Such a move would likely reduce the efficiency of grid operations and open the door to expanding governments role in protecting other sectors of the economy. A highly disturbing and realistic possibility one, in fact, that has been a headache for years has moved up a notch amid the Russia-sparked war in Ukraine. 12/26/2022 11:41 AM EST. with Ivan Kanapathy, Bonny Lin and Stephen S. Roach by Will Freeman Hackers and hacktivists, as well as malicious insiders, also pose significant risks to the U.S. power grid as well." Remote access has made our system more vulnerable to attacks. WASHINGTON, D.C. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $45 million to create, accelerate, and test technology that will protect our electric grid from cyber-attacks to seamlessly help deploy clean and cheap energy to Americans.Cyber threats to American energy systems can shut down critical energy infrastructure and disrupt energy supply, the economy, and the health of . Traditional military action, as opposed to a response in kind, would be likely. installed. Reliable electricity is essential to the conveniences of modern life and vital to our nations economy and security. They are growing in sophistication and in some cases rival, if not exceed, the capabilities of nation states. Raising and enforcing standards could help prevent a catastrophic attack by encouraging utilities to proactively defend their networks. Renewing America, Backgrounder by Olivia Angelino, Thomas J. Bollyky, Elle Ruggiero and Isabella Turilli The number of direct physical attacks, including acts of vandalism and other suspicious activity, that potentially threatened grid reliability rose 77% to 163 in 2022 from the previous year . That group has a very different view. cutting power to more than 14,000 customers. Following an attack, eliminating malware and regaining control of the power grid would likely be carried out by the owners and the operators of affected systems with support from private incident response teams. By IronNet Threat Research with lead contributions by Morgan Demboski and Brent Eskridge, PhD. They know the grid is complex and they fear unintended consequences from abrupt changes. The Public/Private Imperative to Protect the Grid Community | GovLoop, North America network connections. Doing so would also reduce the likelihood of the grid becoming a military target. For certain pieces of technology, it may make sense to replace software systems with hardware systems, hardwiring functions into circuit boards so that they cannot be modified remotely. Cyber Attacks, Ukraine, Russia's . Adversaries may underestimate both the ability of the U.S. government to determine who carried out an attack and the seriousness with which such an attack would be addressed. In a news release, Timothy Langan, assistant director of the FBIs Counterterrorism Division, saidthe defendants "wanted to attack regional power substations and expected the damage would lead to economic distress and civil unrest.". By Jay Clemons | Monday, 26 December 2022 02:39 PM EST. They were not designed with security in mind and cannot be updated. Such a regimenthe Critical Infrastructure Protection Standards established by the North America Electric Reliability Council (NERC)has been in place for over a decade, though GAO has found that many standards remain voluntary and the extent to which utilities have implemented these standards is unknown. The DOE highlighted six main avenues for . Nations and criminal groups pose the most significant cyber threats to U.S. critical infrastructure, according to the Director of National Intelligences 2022 Annual Threat Assessment. by Lindsay Maizland short, are powerful releases of solar charged particles (plasma) and magnetic field, travelling on the solar wind. A devastating attack might also prompt calls to create a national firewall, like China and other countries have, to inspect all traffic at national borders. Industrial Control Systems: The integration of cheaper and more widely available devices that use traditional networking protocols into industrial control systems has led to a larger cyberattack surface for the grids systems. The Good Friday Agreement has dampened sectarian tensions and brought stability to Northern Ireland, but the peace deals twenty-fifth anniversary has been marred by a Brexit-related trade impasse that has thrown the regions hard-won gains into doubt. Twice this year, the Department of Homeland Security warned "a heightened threat environment" remains for the nation, including its critical infrastructure. by James McBride by Charles Landow and James McBride A string of attacks on power facilities in Oregon and Washington has . The average top-tier utility plant maintains a . In addition to the direct consequences of a cyberattack, how the United States responds also has implications for its management of the situation that may have prompted the attack in the first place, the state of relations with the apparent perpetrator, the perceived vulnerability of the United States, and the evolution of international norms on cyberwarfare. Domestic terrorists see the U.S. electric grid as a "particularly attractive target," according to a U.S. Department of Homeland Security warning, raising fears of a physical attack on critical . Many experts are now also concerned that smart grid technologies, which use the internet to connect to power meters and appliances, could allow an attacker to take over thousandsif not millionsof unprotected devices, preventing power from being delivered to end users. 20 March 2022. Asked if the U.S. is prepared for such an attack, McConnell told Kroft, "No. Most experts believe that the current complexity of grid operations in the United States would make a switch to manual operations difficult; newer systems might not allow for the use of manual controls at all. Given the recent news of Industroyer2 targeting Ukrainian electrical substations in April 2022 and the increased threat of cyber attacks on energy infrastructure, IronNet Threat Research took an interest in breaking down and analyzing past malware and threat actors that have targeted the . Cybersecurity firm Insikt Group found network intrusions at seven Indian State Load Dispatch Centers (SLDCs) that conduct real-time operations for grid control and . WASHINGTON The Justice Department unsealed charges on Thursday accusing four Russian officials of carrying out a series of cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure in the . If this were to happen to our smart grid, we would lose the connection to countless devices disrupting services on a large scale. Clearly, someone, or 10,000 someones per minute, in Iran has shown a desire to cyberattack our nation. Russia has already been active in targeting energy-related systems. To protect the grid from cyberattack, the Trump administration should initially focus on creating an information-sharing system that can bring together early signals that an attack against the grid is under way and share information that can be used to stop it. Why is the power grid so hard to protect? More could also be done to improve government support for securing electric utilities. We prioritize recommendations that need immediate attention. Several case studies are considered to validate the effectiveness of the proposed attack model. The next administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) could make response and recovery planning a priority. ABERDEEN, S.D. The EMP threat can also be implemented by missiles exploded in the atmosphere, and other delivery methods. In 2015, Russian government hackers breached the Ukrainian power grid, leading to widespread outages. New threats suggest additional protections may be needed, such as additional perimeter setbacks (where possible), removing sight lines, additional roving security and monitoring, and hardening protective barriers. Alternatively, a tax deduction for utility spending on cybersecurity may be a less directbut more politically palatableway to increase funding. Article Source: U.S. Dept. . Taiwan's digital minister Audrey Tang said the volume of cyber attacks on Taiwan government units on Tuesday, before and during Pelosi's arrival, surpassed 15,000 gigabits, 23 times higher than . The Department of Energy and U.S. intelligence agencies are warning the energy sector of a newly discovered "custom-made" malware targeting the systems that control electricity and natural gas . The challenge is, therefore, not to develop technical specifications to secure the grid but how to incentivize investment. And the risks are only increasing as the grid expands to include renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, he said. And they dont think the industry has done enough. Miri said that he started the Electric Grid Cybersecurity Alliance to constructively bring these two communities together. Vandalism is also an issue. According to reporting by Politico, there have been 101 physical and cyber attacks on equipment that delivers electricity nationwide just through August of 2022, which is . . Home | EGCA (electricgridcyber.org). The Donald J. Trump administration should focus its efforts on preventing an attack on the grid both through a deterrence policy and by strengthening security. Consumer Internet of Things (IoT) devices connected to the grids distribution. The physical risks to the power grid have been known for decades, Granger Morgan, an engineering professor at Carnegie Mellon University, told CBS. Second-Order Cone Programming Relaxation of Stealthy . The agency has not yet confirmed if it is investigating the incidents. Finding viable solutions will require co-investment, strong public/private sector partnering and collaboration in research, development, and prototyping. China has been accused of conducting a long-term cyber attack on India's power grid, and has been implicated in cyber attacks against targets in Ukraine. The physical risks to the power grid have been . Law enforcement agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Secret Service have built strong forensic investigation capabilities and strong relationships with both foreign law enforcement and the intelligence community. Finally, the Trump administration should ensure that utilities can invest sufficiently in cybersecurity and do not need to make tradeoffs between traditional risk management activities and addressing national security threats. What Can Be Done? It's spread all across the countryside," which makes the lines and substationseasy targets, Morgansaid. In 2013, still unknown assailants cut fiber-optic phone lines and used a sniper to fire shots at a Pacific Gas & Electric substation near San Jose in what appeared to be a carefully planned attack that caused millions of dollars in damage. The reportsurged state and federal agencies to collaborate to make the system more resilient to attacks and natural disasters such as hurricanes and storms. Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) said in a statement on Thursday that it was seeking tips about trespassing, vandalism and malicious damage of equipment at a substation in Clackamas county on 24 November that caused damage and required cleanup costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. They have been warning about this threat for decades and are frustrated. April 20, 2023, By entering your email and clicking subscribe, you're agreeing to receive announcements from CFR about our products and services, as well as invitations to CFR events. An adversary abuses an organization using equipment with unknown exploitable features. The U.S. electric grid faces significant cybersecurity risks from a variety of actors, including criminals, terrorists, "hacktivists," and foreign governments. In 2022, there were 163 direct physical attacks on the U.S. electric grid, according to data from the Department of Energy reported . Connectivity driven by the adoption of industrial internet of things and operational technology has further expanded the attack surface and energy infrastructure operators should implement security by design to counter cyber threats. The most recent attacks in North Carolina and Washington state heighten . Follow Chuck Brooks on LinkedIn: LinkedIn, This is a BETA experience. Christopher Brenner Cook, 20, of Columbus, Ohio, and Jonathan Allen Frost, 24, of Katy, Texas, were sentenced in federal court for their involvement in a plot to attack U.S. power grids to advance white supremacist ideology. Beyond simply naming the adversary behind attacks, the U.S. government could make clear how it would view an attack on the power grid and the kinds of responses it would consider. Cybersecurity by design necessitates building agile systems with operational cyber-fusion to be able to monitor, recognize and respond to emerging threats. In the Lloyds scenario, only 10 percent of targeted generators needed to be taken down to cause a widespread blackout. Regardless of which part of the power grid is targeted, attackers would need to conduct extensive research, gain initial access to utility business networks (likely through spearphishing), work to move through the business networks to gain access to control systems, and then identify targeted systems and develop the capability to disable them. The FBI would take lead responsibility for investigating the attack domestically and for conducting computer forensics. Cyber criminals are targeting the energy infrastructure in the U.S, including pipelines, refineries and power grids to attack their operations and . January 31, 2022, How Tobacco Laws Could Help Close the Racial Gap on Cancer, Interactive In keeping with these norms, the U.S. government could outline response options that would be proportional but not necessarily in kind. Other actions for addressing grid cybersecurity risks. A decision to increase spending on cybersecurity could come at the expense of burying power lines, raising them above the tree line, or trimming trees along the lines. As first reported by Oregon Public Broadcasting and KUOW Public Radio, there have been at least six attacks, some of which involved firearms and caused residents to lose power. The FBI is looking into some of the attacks, but it hasn't said how manyit's investigating or where. Besides the intrinsic importance of the power grid to a functioning U.S. society, all sixteen sectors of the U.S. economy deemed to make up the nations critical infrastructure rely on electricity. Cyber Attacks on the Power Grid. The goal of the organization is to bring utility CEOs, CISOs, CIOs, and operational executives together in a trusted forum to confidently build an industry-wide cybersecurity game plan. The attack prompted the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Ferc) to order grid operators to increase security. Yet, given the thin margins on which utilities operate, such an unfunded mandate is not likely to meaningfully improve security. The grid is under attack. NERC standards should require companies to maintain capabilities for manual operations.

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