UK: National Grid plots ‘honeypots’ to catch hackers as cyber attacks ramp up

National Grid is to set “honeypots” and plant false documents online as part of efforts to counter a surge in cyber attackers. The Grid has advertised a contract worth more than a million pounds to secure advanced cyber “deception” technology Read More …

Cyberattacks targeting utility firms at ‘alarmingly high levels’

Utility firms such as electricity providers have become the new frontier for cyberattacks, reaching “alarmingly high levels” last year, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine gave fresh impetus to cyber criminals to attack electricity grids Read More …

US officials search for hidden Chinese malware that could affect military operations

US officials are searching for Chinese malware hidden in various defense systems that could disrupt military communications and resupply operations, The New York Times reported Saturday. The administration believes malicious computer code has been hidden inside “networks controlling power grids, Read More …

Utility cyber threats on the rise, but experts say don’t forget basics

“There’s an increase in threat actors targeting critical infrastructure,” said Katell Thielemann, a Gartner research analyst focused on risk and security for cyber-physical systems. “And there’s an enhanced sensitivity that threat actors are probing infrastructure.” Since 2021, the U.S. Department Read More …

COSMICENERGY: New OT Malware Possibly Related To Russian Emergency Response Exercises

Mandiant identified novel operational technology (OT) / industrial control system (ICS)-oriented malware, which we track as COSMICENERGY, uploaded to a public malware scanning utility in December 2021 by a submitter in Russia. The malware is designed to cause electric power Read More …

New York Adopts Law Protecting Power Grid from Cyber Attacks

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation to create cybersecurity protections for the state’s energy grid. The legislation (designated A.3904B/S.5579A) will require utilities to prepare for cyberattacks in their annual emergency response plans, just as they would for storm or Read More …

Electricity/Energy Cybersecurity: Trends & Survey Response

Trend Micro conducted a study on the state of industrial cybersecurity in the oil and gas, manufacturing, and electricity/energy industries in 2022. Based on the results of a survey of over 900 ICS business and security leaders in the United Read More …

Shocker: EV charging infrastructure is seriously insecure

If you’ve noticed car charging stations showing up in your area, congratulations! You’re part of a growing network of systems so poorly secured they could one day be used to destabilize entire electrical grids, and which contain enough security issues Read More …

Hive claims ransomware attack on Tata Power, begins leaking data

Hive ransomware group has claimed responsibility for a cyber attack disclosed by Tata Power this month. A subsidiary of the multinational conglomerate Tata Group, Tata Power is India’s largest integrated power company based in Mumbai. In screenshots seen by BleepingComputer, Read More …

Utility security is so bad, US DoE offers rate cuts to improve it

The US Department of Energy has proposed regulations to financially reward cybersecurity modernization at power plants by offering rate deals for everything from buying new hardware to paying for outside help. In a notice of proposed rulemaking published earlier this Read More …