How Unified Physical Security Solutions are Helping Utilities

Written by Thomasina Martin on December 16, 2024. Posted in Cybersecurity.

In the US, the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has identified 16 critical infrastructure sectors ranging from Food and Agriculture to Manufacturing, Communications, Public Health, Transportation, and Energy & Utilities. These sectors are so vital that any incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on the nation’s stability.

Among these sectors, the Energy & Utilities sector stands out for its foundational role in supporting all the others. A reliable energy supply is crucial for economic growth, public health, and national welfare. Without it, health and welfare would be threatened, and a country’s economy would be at significant risk. As a uniquely critical sector, Energy & Utilities requires special consideration regarding physical security, especially as it’s currently undergoing a major transformation.

The Move Toward Renewable Energy
Cross-border investments in renewable energy, combined with the convergence of oil, gas, and power utilities, mean that mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are occurring on a global scale. At the same time, the sector is also moving from an analog, scale-driven, centralized energy model to a digital, vast geographic and distributed model.

One of the unintended results of this transformation has been a rise in security-related challenges. Leaders in the industry are considering how they can standardize and centralize their solutions as they inherit legacy systems that were intended to perform in isolation. They’re asking themselves how they can secure a growing number of assets across a dispersed and expanding territory.

To keep pace, Energy & Utilities organizations will need to modernize their security technology. Deploying a unified security system is a critical step toward achieving this goal. A portfolio of unified security solutions will help address evolving security needs while also improving operations, simplifying compliance, and increasing a cybersecurity posture.

Securing Critical Infrastructure and Improving Operations
A comprehensive physical security strategy is key to ensuring operational efficiency is maximized. Breaches in security often result in downtime that costs millions of dollars. In addition, breaches can have a far-reaching and potentially catastrophic impact on other critical infrastructure.

Unified security platforms offer organizations a powerful tool to enhance physical security and improve operational efficiency. Deploying a unified system helps organizations extend their security beyond the perimeter. Technologies like radar, LiDAR, fence intrusion detection, and video analytics detect potential intruders or drones beyond the fence line and enable teams to take action before a breach occurs. This is particularly vital for remote or isolated facilities, such as transmission stations or storage depots.

Within the perimeter, advanced tools like automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) can provide a real-time inventory of vehicles on-site that would allow security personnel to manage access to restricted areas based on license plates. This can also reduce downtime caused by unauthorized access attempts and streamlines operations.

A video management system (VMS) provides security personnel with a clear picture of events and enables them to quickly respond to threats or incidents. Organizations can further improve security with a unified access control system (ACS). For example, by using people counting analytics with access control solutions, security personnel can monitor the movement of employees, contractors, and visitors. This capability is essential for routine operations, incident management, and evacuation procedures. Automated reporting features can also deliver critical updates to key personnel and first responders.

Simplifying the Compliance Process
One of NERC’s main physical security requirements is that Energy & Utilities organizations must record all access control activities, maintain logs, and monitor critical facilities for unauthorized access 24/7. In the event of an access breach, NERC stipulates that organizations must investigate and categorize the alarm incident and implement the appropriate response plan within 15 minutes.

Verification of the alarm details and the response must be documented and are subject to an audit and review by the NERC Regional Entity. Regulatory penalties can cost up to $1 million per day per violation.

A unified security system that can optimize evidence reporting and the digitization of standard operating procedures (SOPs), can help Energy & Utilities organizations comply with these regulations. Being able to securely collect, manage, and share digital evidence from multiple sites makes it much easier to meet audit requirements and helps to paint a picture of compliance.

Organizations can also use a unified security system to predefine a wide variety of criteria and create digitized SOPs to guide personnel in their responses to events. This ensures compliance across a distributed organization since all security teams, regardless of shift or location, are always operating according to the same SOPs.

Cybersecurity Risks and New Regulations
Recent years have seen a rise in cyberattacks from sophisticated cybercriminal groups in virtually all areas of life. Because of its unique position within critical infrastructure, the Energy & Utilities sector is especially vulnerable. For many, it isn’t a question of if it will happen, but when.

Modern physical security devices and systems are increasingly interconnected, which is helping security personnel keep people and organizations secure. At the same time, this growing connectivity is increasing the risks associated with criminal cyber activity.

Greater connectivity of systems over the internet means that a vulnerable device can become a gateway to an organization’s data and sensitive information. A poorly protected camera, unencrypted communication between a server and client application, or out-of-date firmware all have the potential to be exploited by cybercriminals.

This means that security teams can no longer focus solely on physical threats. Organizations must choose hardened solutions that also work to protect all other systems and information connected to the network.

Because no single approach is enough, any solution deployed within the Energy & Utilities sector must include multiple layers of defense, including the use strong encryption, authentication, and authorization protocols to protect data captured for management, analysis, and storage.

Energy & Utilities organizations have a unique opportunity to strengthen their physical security strategies, enhancing their ability to manage growing operations effectively. Unified security solutions can enable them to adapt to evolving regulations, protect critical facilities, and defend against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. Working in partnership with trusted physical security vendors is essential to securing this vital sector, a cornerstone of every nation’s critical infrastructure.

NOVEMBER 2024