Best practices in information security protection for the utility enterprise

IEEE-USA has adopted a policy on information security for electric power that contains the recommendation that "participants in the electric power industry and associated marketplaces" be mandated by "Federal and state regulators, self-regulating exchanges, and other oversight organizations within their relevant areas of oversight" to "establish and maintain programs for the protection of their computer and communications systems" that "conform to industry best practices". This raises an issue of defining what "industry best practices" would be appropriate for protecting electric power systems.. This presentation addresses that issue.