Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks occur when adversaries overwhelm a connected target’s resources, aiming to make it unavailable. Learning the best strategies to protect from DDoS attacks is critical to energy grid cybersecurity. A well-planned DDoS attack on the grid could halt essential services, cause substantial disruptions to households and businesses, and prove incredibly costly. However, people can strengthen utilities’ cybersecurity with some best practices.
1. Protect From DDoS Attacks With Historical Awareness
Recent news coverage has focused on physical attacks against the power grids. However, they have overlooked some of the cyberattack types to which the power grids are vulnerable.
Political tensions and warfare can also increase DDoS risks. Such was the case in 2022 when a Russian-supporting hacking group affected a Lithuanian energy company’s grid due to that nation’s support of Ukraine.
The failure to adequately protect from DDoS attacks can also spread to multiple organizations or countries. Consider a May 2023 attack on 22 Danish energy companies that occurred in two waves. Attackers used some infected firewalls during the incident to launch DDoS attacks in the United States and Hong Kong.
2. Study the Evolution of DDoS Attacks
Beyond examining how DDoS attacks on energy grids occur, people should see how these incidents have changed over time. Cyberattackers frequently try different methods, often aiming for zero-day attacks.
Numerous analyses highlight the increasingly complex and high-volume nature of DDoS attacks. Anyone involved in utilities cybersecurity should consider grid attacks as potential inevitabilities they must plan for at every opportunity. Learning the weaknesses hackers target in these incidents can also reveal the problematic areas to address while improving cybersecurity.
3. Perform a Grid Cybersecurity Risk Analysis and Get Expert Feedback
A practical way to protect against DDoS attacks is to assess the current state of grid cybersecurity and find areas for improvement. Today’s electrical grids have many connected elements for criminals to target. The risk analysis must involve physical infrastructure assessments and investigations of how each part connects to a network that an attacker could target.
However, people must also explore their online operations and how to strengthen security. For example, do passwords get changed often enough? Do all computers have the latest operating systems and software? Collaborative approaches that emphasize shared information increase the energy industry’s overall security. Expert insights from cybersecurity professionals help people fill knowledge gaps and make decisive changes.
4. Tighten Current Utilities Cybersecurity Measures According to Trusted Resources
The utilities industry is a popular cybercriminal target for several reasons. Firstly, it’s less prepared for attacks than others. Additionally, grid updates take time, and replacing all legacy infrastructure at once is a prohibitively costly and massive undertaking.
However, people should at least create progressive plans for improving grid cybersecurity. Many reputable organizations offer in-depth materials to help decision-makers choose what to update and when. These recommendations often include case studies that increase readers’ confidence by showing them how well specific mitigation strategies can work. Committing to making the necessary updates is the first step to becoming more proactive about cybersecurity.
5. Invest in Grid Upgrades
Targeted grid investments can protect from DDoS attacks by improving the previously exploitable and problematic aspects of the environment. As people consider potential improvements, they should also stay open to goals beyond improved grid cybersecurity. For example, a secure grid can also be energy efficient and well-equipped to address current and future needs. One best practice is to explore what other communities have done while updating their infrastructures.
All grid improvements should include associated budget allocations, timelines, project management objectives, and measurable outcomes. Detailed planning at all phases will help people avoid oversights that could make the changes take too long or go over budget. Additionally, getting peer advice is an excellent way to receive supportive tips to avoid pitfalls.
6. Consider Using Advanced Detection and Mitigation Technologies
Many researchers, tech vendors, and others have focused on developing advanced options for improving utilities’ cybersecurity measures. Learning more about those is an excellent way to understand the ongoing, relevant work that could significantly reduce DDoS attacks and other cybersecurity threats.
For example, many companies use artificial intelligence to protect energy grids and improve planning. Specialized cybersecurity tools can learn what constitutes normal activity and then flag all unusual instances. Others actively block suspicious network traffic, giving people more time to investigate. Anyone interested in these possibilities should understand the most appropriate use cases and technological limitations.
7. Include Cybersecurity Training for Energy Industry Employees
All energy employees need grid cybersecurity training. However, a best practice is to customize the content depending on the likely threats encountered. Cybersecurity team members must learn about the most common and emerging online attacks. Since some cyberattacks include offline elements, grid engineers or others dealing with the physical infrastructure should understand how to recognize social engineering threats and potential tampering.
Cybersecurity should be a defining part of an energy industry’s company’s culture. The goal is not only to protect from DDoS and other attacks but to reinforce how keeping the grid safe is everyone’s responsibility. Education should begin with a worker’s onboarding process, and then continue periodically to keep people’s knowledge current. The training content must be maximally relevant and engaging to maintain interest and make learners eager to apply the concepts to their work.
Treat Cybersecurity as an Ongoing Concern
The most memorable cyberattacks are often those that cause the biggest disruptions. Considering how reliant most people are on the energy grid, a DDoS attack could be catastrophic for many affected. A related issue is that successful attacks on specific providers can encourage criminals to strike those targets again, perceiving they’re easy options.
Indeed, cyberattacks are real-world warnings that affected companies must upgrade their defensive and preventive measures to avoid repeat instances. Energy grids are attractive targets for those who want to cause widespread disruptions and capture worldwide media attention. Since cybercriminals continually update their methods to catch people off-guard, individuals must keep energy assets protected by regularly revisiting strategies and closing any identified gaps.
Periodic cybersecurity reviews and third-party assessments can show whether energy companies meet best practices and recommendations. Promptly tackling identified shortcomings is a strategic way to improve protection and thwart attackers’ attempts.
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in this guest author article are solely those of the contributor, and do not necessarily reflect those of Tripwire
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