A small city utility part of a cooperative is dedicated to delivering reliable power to their community in the southeast United States. Employing an Energy Management System (EMS), this utility efficiently optimizes and manages the generation, distribution, and consumption of electricity. Given the critical role this EMS plays in the operation and management of the electrical grid, it is essential to uphold stringent NERC CIP compliance standards to ensure both the reliability and security of the electricity supply.
Smaller utilities like this one might not expect to be likely targets for cyberattacks, due to their smaller scale and perceived lower impact. However, operations of this size are increasingly becoming victims of cyber disruptions, often even inadvertently. Automated cyberattacks exploit common vulnerabilities indiscriminately, not discriminating by the size of the utility but rather by the accessibility of their digital infrastructure. Inadvertently, smaller operations that use the same technologies get caught in the blast radius. Moreover, as part of the larger national grid, a vulnerability in one small plant can potentially be exploited to gain access to other parts of the grid, making even small plants prime entry points for broader attacks. It’s crucial for providers of vital services of all sizes to remain vigilant about their cyber systems, particularly Operational Technology (OT) assets.
As a key member of a broader cooperative, this small city utility is dedicated to serving their community with a steadfast commitment to safety and reliability. The utility must not only meet the stringent cybersecurity standards outlined and enforced by NERC CIP but also fulfill the high safety and reliability expectations agreed upon by its 20 distribution member systems.
These requirements put a lot of strain on their resources and exposed them to manual errors. Read this case study to learn how they partnered with Industrial Defender achieve NERC CIP compliance more efficiently and confidently.
