Tag: Featured

Facilities Security Requires a Comprehensive Approach (Full Unedited Interview)

Written by Curtis Marquardt on March 5, 2025. Posted in Facilities Security.

Burns Engineering’s Security Practice Leader Rene Rieder Jr. Sat Down with Us to Talk About Facilities Security, the Importance of Communication and How to Balance Form with Function in Ways that Enhance Security CURTIS MARQUARDT: Please tell our readers about yourself and your experience working in security. RENE RIEDER JR: My name is Rene Rieder Jr. and I am the Security Practice Leader for Burns Engineering. I have nearly three decades of security design and engineering experience involving planning, development, design, project management, construction, installation and commissioning...

Power Up: Using AI to Boost Utility Security and Resiliency

Written by Dave Gustafson on February 25, 2025. Posted in Utility Security Update.

Physical security is a non-stop concern for utilities. From menacing physical attacks on power stations to less nefarious events, like teens trespassing in order to go fishing in a reservoir, and well beyond, utilities must be constantly vigilant. In 2025 and looking ahead, utilities will need to ramp up their physical security initiatives in order to maintain security boundaries and ensure ongoing operations of the essential services they provide. More cameras and sensors, generating more data, have become part of the solution. But with them comes the need for new approaches that...

Vegas Lights, Utility Security Sights: ISC West 2025 Preview

Written by Curtis Marquardt on February 24, 2025. Posted in Industry Events.

The Security Industry’s Biggest Event is Bigger in 2025 and Has Expanded its Utility-Specific Education and Events Last year, I went to ISC West—the nation’s leading converged security trade—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 Expo. It’s a security...

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....

The Real Bottom-Line Costs of False Alarms

Written by Yaron Zussman on November 6, 2024. Posted in C-Suite Perspective.

Utility security professionals know it takes a multilayered approach to have effective security. What might not be known is just how multilayered the financial impact of false alarms can be to a utility. We sat down with Yaron Zussman from Magos to talk about the bottom-line costs of false alarms and what your organization can do to ensure they are minimized. Utility Security: What are the biggest challenges utilities face when it comes to implementing a perimeter security strategy that minimizes false alarms? Yaron Zussman: One challenge I often see is that organizations might not...

Why Utility Cyberattack Risks Continue to Rise

Written by Shankar Somasundaram on November 6, 2024. Posted in Cybersecurity.

As headlines continue to reinforce, cyberattackers are increasingly putting utilities’ operational technology (OT) and Internet of Things (IoT) security to the test—some with the intent of disruption at a societal scale. A recently issued warning by U.S. and international cyber authorities cites efforts by pro-Russian hacktivists to exploit vulnerable OT systems at utilities across North America and Europe. The decentralized nature of U.S. utilities means a wide variety of cybersecurity maturity for individual targets. Authorities ask that utilities shore up protections to their...

Five Questions with Utility Technology Association President Vicky Wilson Turner

Written by Curtis Marquardt on November 6, 2024. Posted in 5 Questions with a Utility Security Professional.

Ahead of Utility Security magazine attending the Utility Technology Association’s (UTA) annual conference earlier this year in October, we had a chance to speak with the organization’s president to learn more about the UTA, their annual event and what cybersecurity concerns are shaping their members’ discussions and efforts. Can you tell our readers about the UTA and what the organization is doing to help propel security in the utility segment? The UTA was originally formed back in 1981. At its core, it is a technology support group that focuses on new and innovative ideas to ensure...

ISC East Offers Utility Security Professionals a Wide-Range of Industry Specific Education & Resources

Written by Ronald L. Hawkins on November 6, 2024. Posted in Facilities Security.

Utility and critical infrastructure protection will have a prominent role at ISC East in November. With its location in New York City and a regional reach from Boston to Washington, D.C., ISC East—the smaller brother of the nation’s largest security trade show, ISC West—this year will be putting extra emphasis on critical infrastructure and the technology that is utilized to protect it. Multiple conference sessions will examine the topic, with analyses of the threats that cyberattacks, drones, domestic violent extremists (DVEs) and additional factors pose to the nation’s power, water, gas...

The Four Crucial Employee Security Skill Sets

Written by Jim Willis, CMAS, CHS-V on November 6, 2024. Posted in Frontline Worker Security.

There is an old axiom that goes, “When seconds count, the police are just minutes away.” Today, this is an understatement. Law enforcement departments across the nation are understaffed and underfunded at unprecedented levels, leaving responding officers overwhelmed, physically overtaxed and overstressed, and exiting the profession at astonishing rates of attrition. So, what does this have to do with frontline utility employees? Well, everything. Even in circumstances where violent assaults and active shooter incidents occur at locations with known fixed addresses, the action is usually...

Will Your Critical Substation Survive an Attack?

Written by Ross Johnson on November 6, 2024. Posted in Infrastructure Security.

Will your critical substation survive an attack? How would you know? We install security systems to protect our substations. Critical sites would likely include some kind of barrier, like a fence or a wall; a video surveillance system (VSS); an access control system, combining a locking mechanism with a card reader or PIN pad; lighting; a security monitoring center; and some kind of response force, such as a mobile patrol or police. How do you know that they will work? We commission systems after they are installed. We check that the fence was installed according to the contract. We examine...

Reducing Copper Theft in the Electrical Sector: A Strategic Approach

Written by Ross Johnson on November 6, 2024. Posted in Facilities Security.

The theft of copper from unmanned substations threatens public safety and the reliability of the supply of electricity. The best way to fight this is with a strategy that involves utilities, the community, vendors and other electricity sector asset owners/operators. A campaign of this scope needs executive attention and support. It is too important to leave to the security department. The strategy that we employ in security in our sector is a simple one that has three components: We harden our assets. We train our people. We shift from a reactive to a proactive approach. Hardening Our...

Substation Security Challenges: Conducting Threat Assessments

Written by Jim Willis, CMAS, CHS-V on November 6, 2024. Posted in Facilities Security.

The Greek historian and general Thucydides stated, “Hope is an expensive commodity. It makes better sense to be prepared.” This statement is as true today as it was 2,500 years ago. For utility security professionals, this maxim speaks to the nonchalant attitude toward substation and infrastructure security that many of us have or face from within our organization. But hope is not a defense. We face serious threats that require serious responses. Regardless of location, size or organizational makeup, the threats we face are growing in intensity and sophistication. Some of these evolving...

Danger from Above: The Time is Now to Address Drone Risks

Written by William Edwards on October 31, 2024. Posted in Infrastructure Security.

It is not “if” but “when” for a major and nefarious event happens involving Small Unmanned Aircraft (sUAS) like drones. There is a distinct lack of urgency across all levels of government about security, safety and emergency preparedness given the rise of drones and their rapidly maturing capabilities and demonstrated use cases. The question is: are we paying attention? Look at the increasing news reports about how these platforms are disrupting security and safety almost daily. In 2023 alone, there was an uptick in these events. Look no further than the New Hampshire incident during which...

Mastering the three “Cs” of Security: Clarity, Communication and Consistency

Written by Jim Willis, CMAS, CHS-V on September 30, 2024. Posted in Infrastructure Security.

As the Assassination Attempt that happened on July 13th Demonstrated, a Failure of Clarity, Communication and/or Consistency Can Lead to Devastating Consequences. It’s Vital that Your Substation Security Strategy Offers Certainty in All Three Areas. Albert Einstein once said, “Any fool can know. The point is to understand.” I often refer to this quote in the training programs I conduct because I believe it holds true for utility security in general, especially when it comes to effective substation security. That’s why my previous articles have focused on the more abstract...

5 Questions with Utility Security Expert & Author Ross Johnson

Written by Curtis Marquardt on September 28, 2024. Posted in 5 Questions with a Utility Security Professional.

1. When it comes to the terrorist threat, what are the greatest misconceptions about how they think and operate? There has been a lot of evolution in terrorist threats in the past fifty years. Earlier hierarchical terrorist organizations have given way to loose affiliations bound together by ideology and the internet. Today, they are not trying to liberate anyone, and they are not trying to impose a religion. Instead, driving communities apart has become the aim in this new age of terrorism. In the January 2016 edition of The New Yorker Lawrence M. Krause wrote an article titled Thinking...

Knowing Your Risks and Vulnerabilities and How to Prioritize Budget to Close Gaps

Written by Shawn Wallace and Glenn Engel on September 28, 2024. Posted in C-Suite Perspective.

In a moment of serendipity, as I was planning out content for this issue, I took a moment to scroll through LinkedIn when I saw a post by Shawn Wallace that said he and Glenn Engel would be presenting an educational session at GSX. The session topic Wallace posted about has the title “Threats to Critical Infrastructure Sites: How to Evaluate Risk and Prioritize Spend to Close Vulnerabilities.” I immediately thought of how the topics in this session would also be great for this column, especially since this is our GSX-focused issue—and more so because these topics really hit at the heart of...

Secure by Design

Written by Sherri Middleton on September 28, 2024. Posted in Cybersecurity.

The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently launched a Secure By Design initiative that provides guidance for software manufacturers to ship software solutions with security as a core consideration from the earliest stages of their development cycles. We talked with CISA’s Matthew Rogers about the process of building out the initiative and how it will impact utility security. Utility Security Magazine: Tell us more about what inspired this Secure by Design initiative. Matthew Rogers: So, it was in part inspired by a foreign affairs article titled ‘Stop Passing the...

Getting Smart with Padlocks

Written by Jerry Burhans on September 28, 2024. Posted in Facilities Security.

The one constant facing utility operators every day is the real possibility of a physical threat forcing a disruption of operations at their facilities. Given the nature of today’s world, I’m not sure if those fears will ever dissipate. But I do know that with improved technology and increased collaboration, there are some practical solutions available to help power, water and pipeline operators address real security and compliance challenges. For decades the industry has relied on traditional keyed mechanical, high-security padlocks to protect power stations, substations, high-voltage...

Do You Know What You Don’t Know? How to Overcome the Dunning-Kruger Effect and Expand Your Security Expertise

Written by Jim Willis, CMAS, CHS-V on August 28, 2024. Posted in Frontline Worker Security.

In utility physical security practice, professionalism comes from knowing what to do, why it needs to be done and how to do it. Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? However, gaining and maintaining true professional competency, or edge, requires continual effort. In our quest for professionalism we have to overcome a plethora of obstacles to success, some self-imposed, some constructed by others. One significant obstacle that we all must conquer is known as the Dunning-Kruger effect. What is the Dunning-Kruger Effect The Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias[1] that manifests as excessive...

The AI Push to Smart and Speedy Security

Written by Jon Carstensen on August 28, 2024. Posted in Infrastructure Security.

Threats of theft, vandalism and terrorism are a continual concern for those responsible for the security of the nation’s utilities. Regulations are becoming increasingly stringent, making perimeter security vital to maintaining safety, safeguarding assets, and ensuring business continuity. If critical assets are damaged or disabled, it can have a negative impact on the communities and businesses in the service area and may pose health and safety risks. For regulated sites, perimeter security is critical to meeting strategic and compliance objectives. For example, guidelines for utilities...

Regulation Turmoil Ahead?

Written by Curtis Marquardt on August 28, 2024. Posted in Cybersecurity.

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned the decades-old case often referred to as Chevron deference—setting the stage for potential impactful changes to federal agency regulations that utilities must adhere to for current and future cybersecurity regulations. The original 1984 ruling of Chevron U.S.A. v. Natural Resources Defense Council required federal courts to defer to federal agency interpretations of laws or statutes. With this recent 2024 Supreme Court ruling, federal courts will no longer have to defer and can interpret laws and regulations. So, how will...

Green Protection: Two Perspectives on How to Effectively Plan and Implement a Security Strategy for Renewable Energy Sources

Written by Curtis Marquardt on August 21, 2024. Posted in Infrastructure Security.

Whether it’s solar, geothermal, wind or hydro, utilities are implementing more renewable energy generation sources than ever before. But with their rapid march toward these green energy sources come some new and distinct security challenges. To learn about what risks to consider and strategies to implement, I had a conversation with Idaho National Laboratory’s Emma Mary Stewart, an expert in renewable energy and security, and Courtney Samp from Avangrid, a security strategy expert who helped coordinate a strategy for the third-largest renewables operator in the nation. Along the way, they...

Homeland Security Conference Provides Attendees with New Insights to Threats

Written by Curtis Marquardt on July 30, 2024. Posted in Industry Events.

As threats increase in size, scope and variety for security professionals, it can feel like the thermostat is turned up for all to feel the increased heat that comes with addressing those threats. So, as attendees arrived in the hot summer Miami Beach sun to attend the Homeland Security Conference this July, the local weather perhaps gave them a glimpse into the challenges that lay ahead. The annual conference is hosted by the National Homeland Security Association and it welcomes Homeland Security and emergency management professionals from across the United States. Utility Security...

Protecting Water Utilities from Drone Threats: Understanding the Steps of a Drone Security Methodology that Support the J100 framework

Written by William Edwards on July 30, 2024. Posted in Infrastructure Security.

The small uncrewed aerial system (sUAS) ecosystem can seem overwhelmingly complex, but it doesn’t have to be that way. The wars in the Middle East, Nagorno Karabakh, Ukraine, and now Gaza have proven that we need to pay attention to the threat that drone technology poses to our critical infrastructure. The use cases of this evolution are abound on social media and events in the United States continue to show that it’s not a matter of “if” but “when” an event occurs. Ukraine is the most prominent example of this evolution as we continue to see that drone technology is moving from...

Know Your Diamonds from Your Pencils: Talking All Things Physical Security with SERC’s Travis Moran

Written by Curtis Marquardt on June 29, 2024. Posted in Infrastructure Security.

Curtis Marquardt Jr.: Can you tell our readers more about your background and what you do for SERC Reliability Corporation.? Travis Moran: I began my career in law enforcement, first as an analyst with Interpol. After several years, I joined the U.S. State Department as a special agent, where I served for six-and-a-half years. I then spent 17 years at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives dealing with violent crime, terrorism, bombs and murders. Following my retirement in 2013, I joined Dominion Energy’s corporate security department. This tenure coincided with the...

Critical Decision Making Progress - Substation Security

Substation Security Challenges: The Importance of the Critical Decision Making Process

Written by Jim Willis, CMAS, CHS-V on June 29, 2024. Posted in Infrastructure Security.

In my previous article, I discussed how dangerous unverified assumptions can be when it comes to substation security issues. Now, we will consider the impact of our decision-making process on substation security. Critical decision-making has nothing to do with “criticizing”. In critical decision-making, we’re using the third definition of “critical” in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary: “exercising or involving careful judgment or judicious evaluation”. At first glance, critical decision-making appears to be a complicated, overly sophisticated, technical process. In reality, it’s a learnable...

Forging a Secure Tomorrow: Duke Energy’s Path to a More Resilient Future

Written by Curtis Marquardt on June 29, 2024. Posted in Infrastructure Security.

There’s a great quote by Confucius that says: “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” And it’s truly applicable for security professionals because no matter how much one plans, strategizes and fully commits to preventing an incident, along comes something that challenges those efforts in ways that can help an organization grow, evolve and achieve an even better security posture. On Dec. 3, 2022, Duke Energy experienced a “something” in the form of an unprecedented and sophisticated attack on a low-level substation that knocked out power to more than...

How ‘Global Weirding’ is Creating New Threats for Utility Security Professionals

Written by Curtis Marquardt on June 29, 2024. Posted in Infrastructure Security.

If you search for “Andrew Bochman” on Amazon’s website, the first listing to appear is a book he co-authored about countering cyber sabotage. If you search his name on YouTube, you’ll find videos of him presenting on topics including managing risk and operational technology cybersecurity. Bochman dedicated much of his career to helping with the security and resiliency of utilities. Interview with Andy Bochman But as the years passed, he watched—along with the rest of us—climate event after climate event continuously wreak havoc on utilities. In bearing witness to those events, Bochman saw a...

The Storm Work Security Conundrum

Written by Curtis Marquardt on June 29, 2024. Posted in Frontline Worker Security.

Interview with Dan Stemp and Alex Wakeland As storm restoration work becomes more frequent, so do the challenges of verifying that the workers that flock to the disaster areas are qualified to do the work as well as meet background checks and security verifications they need. We talked with Dan Stemp, the chief customer officer at JNCTN, a New Zealand-based company that is hoping to bring a solution to the U.S. market that will not only empower utilities to verify workers but also give the workers ownership of that information. Included in the discussion is Alex Wakeland, a journeyman...

Perimeter Control as the First Line of Defense

Written by Jim Willis, CMAS, CHS-V on June 29, 2024. Posted in Facilities Security.

For many utilities, physical security begins at the door or the parking lot. However, robust facility protection starts at the perimeter. But we often abandon this defense resource to aesthetics, budget restraints, or misplaced values. This makes a secure perimeter the least considered and most often overlooked element of facility security. However, resilient perimeter protection should be your first line of defense, and establishing and maintaining rigid perimeter security should not be discounted or ignored. A robust perimeter security system should be an element of a comprehensive asset...

GridEx VII Reveals Continuing Challenges of Post-Covid Hybrid Work, Communications and Technology

Written by Curtis Marquardt on June 29, 2024. Posted in Cybersecurity.

In November 2023, the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) and its Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC) conducted the seventh biennial GridEx. “GridEx is one of the largest and most comprehensive security drawings that are done in any critical infrastructure sector,” said Manny Cancel, senior vice president and CEO of E-ISAC. “It has been going on for more than 14 years, and the purpose of the drill is to really exercise and stress our incident response plans in the face of serious cyber and physical security scenarios.” Interview with Manny Cancel GridEx...

Why Your Organization Needs to Conduct Exercises: Understanding the The Bottom-Line Impacts

Written by Curtis Marquardt on June 29, 2024. Posted in C-Suite Perspective.

CURTIS MARQUARDT JR.: Thank you so much for joining us today. Can you please tell our readers more about yourself and your role at the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)? Interview with Gary Bower GARY BOYER: Absolutely. I’m the Branch Chief for the infrastructure Security Exercise Branch—which is part of the Infrastructure Security Division within CISA. I’ve been in emergency management for about 20 years, the last ten of which I have focused on exercises with the critical infrastructure and private sector communities. We conduct and plan exercises that...

5 QUESTIONS WITH ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING RESEARCHER AND EDUCATOR CHEE-WOOI TEN

Written by Curtis Marquardt on June 29, 2024. Posted in 5 Questions with a Utility Security Professional.

We sat down with Chee-Wooi Ten, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Michigan Technological University. He spends his time researching actuarial science and risk profiling for the power infrastructure industry, linking cyber events with operational risk mitigation. During our discussion, Ten shared his insights about the risks of a cascading cyberattack and the need to train the younger generation on the overlapping knowledge of cybersecurity and power grid operation. Interview with Chee-Wooi Ten Q1: Why should our readers be looking seriously at the risks of cascading...

Security LeadHER Event by SIA & ASIS International Provides Informative Career Growth & Personal Growth Insights to Female Leaders in the Security Industry

Written by UBM Staff on June 26, 2024. Posted in Industry Events.

With more than 400 attendees attending the event in Phoenix on June 24-25, 2024, the Security LeadHER conference, presented by SIA and ASIS International, is a growing event that reveals a trend toward increased leadership diversity in the security industry. “Of all the security conferences I’ve attended in the last couple of years, this one certainly had an energy like no other,” said Curtis Marquardt, Jr., Editor-in-Chief of Utility Security magazine. “The positivity and excitement was consistent throughout both days and it’s outstanding to see the industry embrace diversity in its...

Key Situational Awareness & Response Strategies Your Frontline Workers Need to Stay Secure

Written by Charles Keeling, CUSP on June 23, 2024. Posted in Frontline Worker Security, Utility Security Update.

As the world and society become increasingly aggressive and complex, it’s important to know how to spot and respond to dangers in public spaces and act in ways that reduce the likelihood of violence As we see more criminal and aggressive incidents committed against utility workers, it’s important that your frontline workers be equipped with training that helps them act in ways that reduces their risk. Personal attacks on utility employees often happen unexpectedly and are preceded by a variety of customer threats—whether verbal, physical, using animals to intimidate, displaying weapons and...

How to Protect Utility Customers from Scams: A Conversation with Utilities United Against Scams Executive Director Michelle Martinez

Written by Curtis Marquardt on May 30, 2024. Posted in Cybersecurity, Utility Security Update.

With the rapid advancement of AI and other technologies, utility customers are going to face increasing and more deceptive scam efforts than ever before. This, of course, means that utility organizations will have an increasingly difficult task of educating and informing customers about utility-related scams they may encounter. Utility Security magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, Curtis Marquardt Jr., sat down with Monica Martinez, the executive director for Utilities United Against Scams (UUAS). UUAS is a consortium of more than 150 U.S. and Canadian electric, water and natural gas utilities and...

Partnering with Law Enforcement to Improve Bomb Threat Prevention and Response: A Conversation with the Office for Bomb Prevention’s Charles Leas

Written by Curtis Marquardt on May 30, 2024. Posted in Infrastructure Security, Facilities Security, Utility Security Update.

With attacks on utilities growing every year, it is more important that ever to have a sound bomb threat response program in place. A key element to that program is to work together with state and local law enforcement to establish lines of communication about potential threats as well as establishing an effective response plan. Utility Security magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, Curtis Marquardt Jr., had a chance to sit down with the Office of Bomb Prevention’s Operation’s Chief, Charles Leas, to talk about how utilities can create or improve their bomb threat program. Curtis Marquardt...

Rethinking Utility Security for Field Workers

Written by Jim Willis, CMAS, CHS-V on April 22, 2024. Posted in Frontline Worker Security, Utility Security Update.

The names Nathan Baker, Zackary Randalls, Alex Boschert and William Froelich may not be familiar to you, but their stories are tragically important for utility workers. Nathan worked for East Mississippi Electric Power Association in Clarke County, Mississippi. Zackary was employed by Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) in Fresno, California. And Alex and William worked for Laclede Gas Co. (LGC) near St. Louis. Except for Alex and William, who were employed by the same company, there is no evidence that these men knew each other or their paths ever crossed, so what thread binds them...

11 Key Questions to Ask Before You Plan Your Security Solution

Written by Darin Dillon on April 22, 2024. Posted in C-Suite Perspective, Utility Security Update.

Can we “Talk Tech”? Leaders are charged with growing profitability, mitigating risks, and improving productivity, but in the utility space reducing threats to infrastructure is also a key deliverable. Although many methods are available to ensure regulatory compliance, the Security Industry Association (SIA) states, “Perimeter security and access control were cited as key components of protecting utilities’ sites, with video surveillance and other technologies playing important supporting roles.” Securing the border, so to speak, is an area where technology can be an indispensable asset....

Driven to Protect

Written by Curtis Marquardt on February 29, 2024. Posted in Cybersecurity.

If you were to Google the term “utility security expert,” a name that appears at the top of the list is Brian Harrell—and for good reason. Harrell has the distinguished honor of having served in key security leadership roles in both the public and private sectors. Currently, Harrell oversees physical security, cybersecurity, privacy, intelligence and business continuity units for Avangrid, an energy company with operations across 25 states. Prior to that, Harrell was appointed by the President of the United States in 2018 to serve as the sixth assistant secretary for infrastructure...

Threats on the Horizon: The Challenges of Securing the Nation’s Water Utilities and the Strategies to Overcome Them

Written by Curtis Marquardt on February 29, 2024. Posted in Infrastructure Security.

As I sat down to write this article, the town of Flint, Michigan, popped into my head. For anybody who works in the water sector, the mere mention of Flint is likely to spark mental images of a water crisis, national news coverage, footage of angry citizens, and a glimpse into what the fallout from a water crisis looks like. And while Flint’s 2014 water management fiasco was not borne from the impacts of a security breach, it certainly does forecast what could happen should a water utility suffer an attack that impairs its ability to deliver potable drinking water to its communities. To...

Are Assumptions Compromising Your Substation Security?

Written by Jim Willis, CMAS, CHS-V on February 29, 2024. Posted in Facilities Security.

How many substation security or protection articles have you started reading, assuming the subject was one thing, only to discover it was something else? The problem stems from the fact that there are multiple definitions for substation security and protection: one digital/data, one electrical and another physical. When utility professionals hear “substation protection,” many immediately think about electrical protection. Circuit breakers, fuses and switchgear come to mind; some visualize coordination study time & current graphs. But as crucial as electrical protection is, it’s only one...

The Emerging Cybersecurity Threats and Solutions of Artificial Intelligence (And Some Resources to Help Ready You for Both)

Written by Curtis Marquardt on February 29, 2024. Posted in Cybersecurity.

As artificial intelligence solutions continue to grow into the pop culture lexicon, many envision this technology as the beginning of a dystopian nightmare that ends with us cowering away from the red glowing eye of an Arnold Schwarzenegger-skinned robot. But while the threats of a doomed Terminator-esque fate loom in the imaginations of some, others are imagining ways this evolving technology will empower utility cybersecurity professionals to improve their security posture in ways that were previously not possible. We sat down with cybersecurity and AI expert James Edgar to learn about...

Are You Prepared for the Next Attack?

Written by Darin Dillon on February 29, 2024. Posted in C-Suite Perspective.

Do you believe the energy sector has become a critical watchpoint because of its unprecedented constant attacks? You’re not the only one. More than 700 documented attacks from 2010 to 2020, ranging from cyber to physical to natural hazards, serve as real-life reminders that leaders in the utility space must remain focused on how best to protect our most vital assets, including information technology (IT), operational technology (OT) and SCADA systems for process automation. Do you recall the horrific physical attack in 2013 on California’s critical infrastructure that exposed the extreme...

5 Questions with Bomb Threat Expert Sean Haglund

Written by Curtis Marquardt on February 29, 2024. Posted in 5 Questions with a Utility Security Professional.

We sat down with Sean Haglund, who serves as the Associate Director for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s Office for Bombing Prevention (CISA OBP) at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). CISA OBP leads DHS’ efforts to enhance national security by building public and private capabilities to deter, prevent and respond to bombing incidents. During our discussion, he shared some valuable insights and advice on how utilities can be better prepared for bomb threats. Q1: Why should utilities really be thinking more about bomb threats? HAGLUND: We are currently facing a...

Are You Ready for a Drone Attack on Your Infrastructure?

Written by Curtis Marquardt on February 29, 2024. Posted in Infrastructure Security.

In July 2020, someone fitted a DJI drone with two long ropes; both ropes had a long copper wire tied to the end of it. That person then attempted to fly the drone into a substation in Pennsylvania. Through luck or perhaps operator error, the drone never reached the substation, instead crashing onto the roof of an adjacent building. But as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security reported, this effort was done with the intent to disrupt the grid. Since then, we’ve seen the use of drones in military conflicts overseas ramp up considerably, including an instance where Ukraine sent drones into...

The Safety and Security Paradox

Written by Jim Willis, CMAS, CHS-V on February 29, 2024. Posted in Frontline Worker Security.

In this inaugural issue of Utility Security magazine, I felt the best place to start this column was with a foundational understanding from which we can build later. Let’s begin with a discussion of the paradox between safety and security. Many people see safety and security through the same lens and use the words interchangeably, but that’s a mistake. They’re different in concept and application. The terms themselves are paradoxical; they’re both ambiguous in concept and, at the same time, laser-focused in application. Let’s look closer at safety to see just how ambiguous the two terms...

From the Battle of Fallujah to Helping Utilities Respond to Active Shooter Incidents

Written by Curtis Marquardt on February 29, 2024. Posted in Facilities Security.

Utility Security Magazine: Tell our readers more about how you got into active shooter response training and what made you passionate about it. Jake Edwards: It really started for me right after 9/11. After that attack happened, I joined the Marine Corps and was deployed to Iraq. I was in the Second Battle of Fallujah, which was a massive and deadly battle and one of the largest urban combat battles in recent U.S. military history. When I was in that battle, facing gunfire, it helped me understand what was needed to survive that sort of conflict. I had to trust and work with new people...

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