Five Questions with ALCEA North America’s Managing Director Jerry Burns
Utility Security Magazine Asks 5 Vital Questions to an Industry Expert
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. We have years of trusted experience, knowledge and documented utility customer collaboration that other utility companies may not be aware of.
Satisfying NERC CIP Standards is no easy task and can at times be challenging, especially with some of the edge and remote unattended sites. That’s why we made it a key point to show the industry the sort of flexible technology that is needed to achieve compliance.
CURTIS MARQUARDT:
So when it comes to NERC CIP compliance, the approach can vary between bigger and smaller utility organizations. Can you talk more about that?
JERRY BURHANS:
While larger utilities often have dedicated teams and resources to manage NERC CIP compliance, smaller utilities face a unique set of challenges. The standards apply uniformly, regardless of size, meaning that even the smallest operators must meet stringent cybersecurity and physical security requirements.
Smaller utilities have greater budget constraints and limited personnel. That’s why federal programs, such as the grant provisions in the Farm Bill of 2018 and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), have been instrumental in providing financial assistance to rural and municipal utilities. These programs help smaller utilities invest in the necessary infrastructure to meet security requirements without compromising service reliability.
CURTIS MARQUARDT:
As ALCEA has worked with its customers, what aspects of NERC CIP access control standards do they struggle with most?
JERRY BURHANS:
There are two areas that we believe to be the biggest areas of concern. First is the ability to lock and audit things in remote and unattended areas, and second is the ability to have integration with existing software and hardware or other future additions to a current project. This is where choosing the right technology is important.
CURTIS MARQUARDT:
When it comes to physical security perimeters, NERC CIP Standards require utilities to log all access and retain those records for at least 90 days. What should utilities be looking for from a technological standpoint to best achieve this requirement?
JERRY BURHANS:
As we detail in our white paper, there are three key technologies that we feel help utilities meet this requirement and they are: high-security hybrid locking systems, advanced access control technology and a solution that provides comprehensive monitoring and logging capabilities. I’d also like to add that it’s important to be looking at products at the edge that store events in non-volatile memory and that don’t require power sources.
CURTIS MARQUARDT:
If folks would like to read the white paper, where should they go?
JERRY BURHANS:
Please visit the ALCEA global website at alceaglobal.com/usa to sign-up for the white paper. After signing up for it, it will be emailed to you. n