The Security Industry Association (SIA) will host its Perimeter PREVENT security event this June at the National Housing Center in Washington, D.C. The event will focus on providing insights into critical issues relating to physical perimeter defense for critical infrastructure, public events, government facilities and beyond. The symposium will bring together policymakers, federal agency personnel, architects, engineers and security solution providers for a full day of educational sessions and networking opportunities. In addition to covering protective design strategies from the Cyber…

Ahead of my interview with Dominic Dillon, I visited the 3B Protection website and clicked on the section detailing how its products support utility security. I scrolled down the page to read the list. Then I scrolled down again. It struck me: This is a company that understands the depth and variety of safety and security threats utilities must address. During our conversation, I learned more about the evolving technology that is making barriers, walls and gates even more secure. We also discussed how a joint effort with Convergint is helping utilities reduce the cost of installing additio…

Infrared technology has long been viewed as a solution that allows utilities to see beyond haze and fog for security applications. However, as more utilities look for ways to expand the use cases for security solutions, many are now applying the technology to monitor assets like substations and transformers — spotting signs of overheating or other indicators of malfunction. At Convergint’s annual Unite event, I had the chance to speak with Jen Hones and Steve Sinclair about how thermal camera technology can help prevent wildfires, reduce maintenance costs and make remote locations more sec…

As the complexity of physical and cybersecurity grows for utilities, the need for a comprehensive understanding of risk has never been more critical. To address this, global systems integrator Convergint recently formed a strategic partnership with Deloitte — one of the world’s largest professional services networks and a member of the “Big Four” accounting firms. The goal: to deliver deeper security insights and help utilities adopt a stronger, risk-based approach to protection. In our conversation, we explored the challenges of convergence, ransomware, drone threats and vulnerabilities w…

I had the honor of being invited to attend Convergint’s Unite event in Las Vegas earlier this year. Convergint hosts this annual event to bring together its sales, operations and business leaders to learn, grow their skills, connect with key partners, and recognize individuals and teams who have achieved significant benchmarks. During the event, I had the chance to sit down with key utility security experts to gain insights from integrators and solutions providers. My key takeaway: The world of security is evolving rapidly — and that includes utilities. The capabilities of today’s solution…

The threats to — and attacks on — industrial control systems (ICS) continue to rise, and utility security professionals must have sound strategies in place to protect both operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) systems. This will be the focus of the upcoming ICS/SCADA Cybersecurity Symposium, happening June 3–4 in Chicago. The event will provide insights into how utilities and other critical infrastructure organizations can better defend against ransomware, nation-state bad actors and other threats through a lineup of educational sessions and networking opportunities…

Last year, I went to ISC West—the nation’s leading converged security trade show—for the first time ever, and let’s just say I felt a tad unprepared by just how massive of a security event it is. To put it simply, there’s a big difference between reading that the event draws nearly 30,000 total industry professionals and actually seeing with my own eyes swarms upon swarms of security professionals buzzing and navigating through the halls of the Venetian.   It’s a security spectacle unlike any other I have seen—and one that I found to be especially valuable to my efforts to grow my connecti…

ALCEA, the critical infrastructure-focused division of ASSA ABLOY, recently released a white paper on NERC CIP Standards and physical security solutions. We sat down with ALCEA North America’s Managing Director, Jerry Burhand, to discuss compliance strategies and physical security technologies. CURTIS MARQUARDT: So, what inspired ALCEA to develop a white paper that details the purpose and scope of NERC CIP Standards?  JERRY BURHANS: As the reference brand for Critical Infrastructure, ALCEA is always involved in the business of providing secure ways to ensure life goes on uninterrupted…

In the last issue of Utility Security Magazine, I mentioned a federal law that the United States has in place to combat attacks in the energy sector in my article on strategies to defeat copper theft in substations. In this article, I’m going to use the theft triangle to show how this law (and a similar one in Canada) can be used to deter substation attacks and intrusions.  This is how it works: in the theft triangle, there are three elements at play: motive, opportunity and rationalization. (This triangle is also called the fraud triangle. It’s versatile and can be adapted to most form…

President Eisenhower, the five-star general who commanded the largest invasion in history during World War II, stated, “In preparing for battle, I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is essential.” This philosophy directly relates to utility security for two reasons:  Establishing a robust security posture is a complex issue that requires planning Threats never materialize as planned In today’s environment, maintaining a strong security posture is essential and effective planning is key to achieving it. However, there are a few obstacles that can hinder the cr…

Ross Johnson Continues His Series on Substation Security with an Exploration into How to Develop a Valid Scenario that Helps You Plan to Stop Unacceptable Consequences In the previous issue, we asked how you would know if your critical substation would survive an attack. (It might be a good idea to go back and re-read the column in the November 2024 issue of Utility Security magazine. You can read it at utilitysecurity.com.) In this issue we will examine how a scenario is developed. The first step is to assemble a vulnerability assessment (VA) team. An ideal team would include Security…

Stacy Mill’s First Utility Security Magazine Contribution Provides a Roadmap to Better OT Security Welcome to my first article in Utility Security magazine! It’s an honor to contribute to this community of professionals working to protect critical infrastructure. In this space, I’ll offer insights into the current threat landscape facing utilities, share practical advice on securing operational technology (OT) networks and—most importantly—provoke a chuckle or two. Or at least a polite smirk. Now, you might be wondering why you should read what I have to say. Fair question. I’ve been in I…

Burns Engineering’s Security Practice Leader Rene Rieder Jr. Talks Facilities Security, the Importance of Communication and How to Balance Form with Function in Ways that Enhance Security CURTIS MARQUARDT JR: Please tell our readers about yourself and your experience working in security. RENE RIEDER JR: Certainly! I have nearly three decades of security design and engineering experience involving planning, development, design, project management, construction, installation and commissioning of electronic and physical security solutions. I currently serve as the Vice Chair of the ASIS Se…

VRP Group’s COO Ross Falisi Details Why Executives Should Consider this Event an Eye Opener and What it Takes to Adequately Protect High Profile Utility Personnel CURTIS MARQUARDT JR: Thanks for joining us, Ross! Can you tell our readers a bit more about yourself and your security background? ROSS FALISI: Thank you for having me, truly a pleasure being here. I started my career as a police officer in New York City. I spent about four years there and was honored to be selected to the elite NY State Police. I completed the balance of my public service there with a variety of assignments…

Jim Willis Shares Three Steps to Better Equip You for the Increasingly Complex Challenges that Utility Security Professionals Face “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” ~ Mark Twain.  Mr. Twain’s statement reflects the understanding of the utility security dynamic of many utility professionals. There has always been a disconnect in recognizing the overlap between the utility and security sectors. This lack of understanding has led to an insular approach, where many believe the two fields have little, if any, connection t…