Electric utility responses to grid security issues

Author

Schainker, Robert ; Douglas, John ; Kropp, Thomas

Volume

4

Issue

2

fYear

2006

Firstpage

30

Lastpage

37

Abstract

This paper discusses the different initiatives that utility decision makers have set in place to address the vulnerability of the US power grid to physical and cyber attacks. One of the efforts to enhance grid security is EPRI´s Infrastructure Security Initiative (ISI), which was designed to develop both prevention countermeasures and enhanced recovery capabilities. To protect against cyber attacks, several organizations were also established including the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) and the Process Control Systems Forum (PCSF). In addition, EPRI also launched the Energy Information Security (EIS) program to focus on computer-based security breaches. An industry-wide cybersecurity program alliance, called the PowerSec Initiative, was also formed to address the cyberthreat issue as it could impact electric utility operational and control equipment.

Keywords

computer crime; power grids; power system security; Computer Emergency Response Team; Energy Information Security; Infrastructure Security Initiative; Process Control Systems Forum; computer-based security breaches; cyber attacks protection; cyberthreat issue; decision makers; electric utility responses; grid security issues; prevention countermeasures; Computer security; Electrical equipment industry; Industrial control; Information security; Intersymbol interference; Power grids; Power industry; Power system protection; Power system security; Process control;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Power and Energy Magazine, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1540-7977

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/MPAE.2006.1597993

Filename

1597993