The vital nature of the energy sector makes it a target for international cyberattacks, and new, improved cybersecurity infrastructure needs to be developed urgently.
Significance of the Topic
The energy production and supply sector of the United States remains subject to high risks of foreign cyberattacks. Such a development poses serious threats to the national security of the country, as any disruptions of the energy framework compromise the safety of its residents. The stable supply of energy is the key to the normal functioning of American society, as it fuels all essential industries that ensure the vitality of the nation. Communication, transportation, and data analysis are now easier than they have ever been before. Computers can perform complex calculations in a matter of seconds, alleviating the pressure on human operators. However, cyberattacks on the energy infrastructure are capable of causing major blackouts and power interruption, making them a threat of a colossal magnitude. Therefore, it appears vital to research the current and projected avenues of cybersecurity architecture in the U.S. energy sector.
Background of the Issue
The rapid digitalization of the global community has introduced both major benefits and serious risks. According to Jarmakiewicz et al. (2017), the emerging security challenges are conditioned by the continuous integration of vital power resources into the global telecom network. More specifically, this tendency has added a new, intangible dimension to the security of the energy sector. In addition to the physical functioning of a nation’s power grid, the Information Technology aspect is equally to be considered. The benefits of digitalization are expected to make energy more efficient, accessible, controlled, and affordable. However, large-scale cyberattacks often paralyzed the functioning of the digital-dependent power grids, nearly outweighing the advantages of the IT-based approach. For example, in the year 2015, the capital of Ukraine saw a major six-hour blackout that disrupted the life in the city. Sullivan and Kamensky (2017) refer to this case as an ultimate lesson showing the vulnerability of the world’s energy sectors, which includes the United States. Similar attacks on the American power grid appeared to be a matter of time, justifying the need for the rapid development of effective cybersecurity frameworks.
The recent decade has seen a stable increase in terms of the quantity and quality of cyberattacks on critical elements of developed nations’ infrastructures, becoming a pressing concern for the international community. The current infrastructures have become so complex that an attack on one element disrupts the functioning of the rest of the system (United States Government Accountability Office, 2021). Any interruptions in the power supply will also affect healthcare, transportation, communications, defense, and other critical aspects. The U.S. approach to controlling these issues implies adhering to the innovation strategy, which distinguishes the country from many other states promoting obsolete protection principles. However, as Kline (2021) remarks, the U.S. currently possesses the largest interconnected grid in the world, making it a target for malicious attacks from China, Russia, and North Korea. These actions have been intensifying, putting the normal functioning of American society at risk.
To reduce risks, more efforts need to be made at the federal level. Rosson et al. (2019) suggest that the situation requires a strong, urgent, and coordinated response through data sharing and cybersecurity infrastructure rebuilding. Dagoumas (2019) adds that the cybersecurity aspect of the power system should exceed the hacking tools’ development pace and should not be compromised in favor of operational cost-efficiency. To protect the energy sector, the latest anti-hacking instruments need to apply, including firewalls and other detecting systems. Today, the U.S. is strengthening this area, and in the future, this may be protected better due to great attention to the problem of cybersecurity. Changing focus from other countries and an emphasis on domestic issues can improve resilience to such threats.
References
Dagoumas, A. (2019). Assessing the impact of cybersecurity attacks on power systems.Energies, 12(4).
Jarmakiewicz, J., Parobczak, K., & Maślanka, K. (2017). Cybersecurity protection for power grid control infrastructures. International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection, 18, 20-33.
Kline, C. (2021). COVID-19 Highlights Best Emergency Preparedness Approach: Lead by Example.Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, 18(2), 215-218.
Rosson, J., Rice, M., Lopez, J., & Fass, D. (2019). Incentivizing cyber security investment in the power sector using an extended cyber insurance framework. Homeland Security Affairs, 15(2), 1-24.
Sullivan, J. E., & Kamensky, D. (2017). How cyber-attacks in Ukraine show the vulnerability of the U.S. power grid.The Electricity Journal, 30(3), 30–35.
United States Government Accountability Office. (2021). Defense cybersecurity: Defense logistics agency needs to address risk management deficiencies in inventory systems.