Increased Security Threats to Power Grids

   
    Companies need to keep evolving as technology keeps changing.  Sometimes they can keep up with the technological advances and other times they cannot.  When it comes to America's energy providers, people often think they have been able to keep up with the technological advancements and are adequately keeping the energy sectors secure.  Unfortunately, this is not the case for many of America's energy providers.

     Many of our electrical grids are not prepared to stop a hacker from gaining access to them and creating chaos for major cities.  If the electrical grid is shut down it will affect more than just the power to a city.  Should it be a national city like DC that becomes attacked, it could affect national security.   Due to the significant nature of such an attack, congress has proposed to increase security measures for critical infrastructures.  In addition to this they want increased sharing from all government agencies as well as the public sectors about cyber security threats and attacks that were stopped. 

     This information sharing is in the best interest for all involved as it can help prevent attacks.  It is most beneficial to the public sector as they do not have the financial resources that the private sectors have to research and stop cyber security threats.  The problem with information sharing is that many businesses are afraid they will be violating privacy laws by disclosing customer information when they are sharing their information with the government.  In April the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department announced that companies would not be violating antitrust laws by sharing cyber threat information.

     Causing chaos by attack the power grid in the United States could be a low cost attack by a foreign country or a state sponsored hacker.  Cyber attacks can leverage the playing field for countries who do not have the resources to wage a different type of attack.  Cyber attacks also offer the attacker some anonymity until the origination of the cyber attack can be determined.  This makes the matter become increasingly important as it is no longer just a matter of someone physically shutting down power at the power grid, but attackers from anywhere in the world being able to shut it down.

Harris, S. (2014, July 15). U.S. Electrical Grid Vulnerable to Cyberthreats and Physical Attack, Study Finds. Retrieved Aug 3, 2014, from Foreign Policy: http://complex.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2014/07/15/us_electrical_grid_vulnerable_to_cyber_threats_and_physical_attack_study_finds