RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGIES
The energy transition means increasing the share of
renewables as part of the energy mix by using a wider range of
renewable sources, such as solar, wind and hydrogen. But with more devices helping manage power, cyberthreats will become a greater problem. Kimberly Lukin, lead engineer cybersecurity, electrical sector,
Eaton EMEA, examines what can be done to tackle this
CYBERSECURITY C
ybersecurity: the practice of defending computers, servers, electronic systems,
networks and data from malicious attacks aiming to thwart their operations. Almost everything on the network can be exploited if it’s not protected. The cybersecurity of a system changes over
time as threats and vulnerabilities evolve and society becomes more dependent on technology. In response to this changing landscape, hackers’ tools are becoming more sophisticated, and some are dedicated to exploiting specific device manufacturers products. This is deeply concerning for the grid, as hackers can potentially paralyse the energy system of an entire city or region, risking fatal disruption and economic turmoil. Research by Symantec shows that the UK is
the fourth highest target for cybercrime in the world, behind the US, China and Germany, with a 5% share of malicious computer activity worldwide. As the UK looks to expand its use of renewable energy, it’s crucial that cyber defence mechanisms match the speed of the transition to ensure the grid is resilient.
WHAT IS THE RELEVANCE TO THE ENERGY TRANSITION? The energy transition means increasing the share of renewables as part of the energy mix, using a wider range of renewable sources, such as solar, wind and hydrogen. This transition will require more devices to help manage power, and such devices need to be connected so that they can share their telemetry data. These additional connections can become backdoors to cyberthreats, increasing the attack surface. Ultimately, more data is needed to understand
how this infrastructure is working and to manage power demand and response. This, however, raises serious cybersecurity concerns. As soon as you start to incorporate more data, you increase the vulnerability of the system. Therefore, cyberattacks have the alarming power to disrupt capabilities and halt distribution, undermining the transition to Net Zero.
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AND THE ENERGY TRANSITION
WHAT CAN BE DONE TO TACKLE THIS? Assessment services should focus on how infrastructure is built and operated. Penetration testing exposes weak points by locating all internet exposed devices, including maintenance connections, wireless points and interconnected systems. Once the weaknesses and vulnerabilities have been discovered, the results from penetration testing can also help to prioritise the actions needed to mitigate the risks. Hackers have the time to look for access points
and figure out their entry. They typically look for all possible entry points to the network, such as maintenance connections, internet exposed services, interconnected systems and application vulnerabilities, and use lateral movement techniques to gain access to the most critical systems and processes. However, there are incidents of hackers using
more sophisticated hacking tools that are built to attack particular device manufacturers’ products and proprietary protocols. The energy and cybersecurity sectors have a responsibility to work together to promote best practice, guidance and recommendations. There is collective accountability in readying the grid for the energy transition and ensuring our public and commercial buildings are not compromised by cyberattacks.
WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN THE UK? The UK government has pledged to accelerate the transition to renewables in order to tackle the crisis in energy cost and supply. Whilst this is
ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS - Winter 22/23
a welcome step forward for our Net Zero ambitions, as the transition picks up the pace it is vital that the UK is able to safeguard its infrastructure from the threat of cybercrime. The Government’s ‘Cybersecurity Strategy:
2022 to 2030’ that was brought forward in January, sets out the ambition for Government’s critical functions to be significantly hardened to cyberattack, with all Government organisations across the whole public sector being resilient to known vulnerabilities and attack methods by no later than 2030. The strategy accurately reflects the risks
cyberattacks pose to our national security, with public bodies accounting for approximately 40% of the 777 incidents managed by National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) between September 2020 and August 2021. However, the energy sector is becoming an
increasingly attractive target for a broad range of malicious activity, a threat that is likely to intensify as we become more reliant on renewable energy sources. The government must work closely with the
energy sector to ensure the strategy is robust enough to safeguard the grid and ensure our Net Zero ambitions aren’t thwarted by cyberattacks. This must involve embracing private investment and innovative new technologies that pave the way for better risk management processes and structures.
Eaton EMEA
www.eaton.com/gb
www.essmag.co.uk
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