GovCon Expert Chuck Brooks: Security by Design Needed to Safeguard Energy Infrastructure From Cyber Attacks

Chuck Brooks, a GovCon Expert and president of Brooks Consulting International, virtually addressed the G20 forum Sunday, July 5, on energy systems cybersecurity during the Workshop on Energy Security and Markets Stability.

Brooks told G20 member countries that cyber attacks are always evolving when it comes to capabilities and tactics and that state actors, “hackavists” and other attackers homing in on energy critical infrastructure “have become more “technologically sophisticated.”

“The scale and frequency of attacks are alarming,” he said. “Adversaries have gained a deeper knowledge of control systems and how they can be attacked and can employ weaponized malware.”

Brooks noted that connectivity driven by the adoption of industrial internet of things and operational technology has further expanded the attack surface and that energy infrastructure operators should implement “security by design” to counter cyber threats.

“Protecting critical energy infrastructure from cyber attacks requires security by design. It necessitates building Agile systems with operational cyber-fusion to be able to monitor, recognize and respond to emerging threats,” he said.

The G20 is an international forum for economic cooperation and is chaired by Saudi Arabia this year. Member countries account for approximately 80 percent of the world’s economic output, 75 percent of international trade and two-thirds of the world population.

Click here to read Brooks’ recent piece on cyber threats facing the energy sector and other critical infrastructure.

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