The nation’s electrical grid is under pressure from two very strong yet very different forces. On the upside, the grid is increasingly essential for institutional and commercial facilities with a range of growing and diversifying power needs. On the downside, it also is an appealing target for cyber attackers looking to disrupt operations and sow chaos.
To address the second force at work, the Biden administration recently rolled out a 100-day plan to improve cybersecurity and address cyberthreats across the nation's electrical grid, according to GovInfo Security. The White House says the program is part of a broader cybersecurity plan designed to address issues across the nation's critical infrastructure.
The 100-day initiative will involve government agencies responsible for the security of critical infrastructure, as well as businesses and private utilities that oversee or own infrastructure.
Some lawmakers and a government watchdog agency recently criticized the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for its cybersecurity practices, especially in the wake of the SolarWinds supply chain attack, which led to follow-on attacks on the DOE and eight other federal agencies, plus 100 companies.
Dan Hounsell is Senior Editor, Facility Market.
