President Joe Biden recently signed an Executive Order to improve the nation’s cybersecurity and protect Federal government networks. It was executed in the wake of a $4.4 million ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline in May that caused fuel shortages on the east coast of the United States. In February, a cyberattack on the Oldsmar, Florida water system sounded the cybersecurity alarm for utilities across the country.
The Executive Order includes one particular item that will be beneficial to entities outside of the Federal government, including utilities, water systems, and businesses. The Executive Order calls for the creation of a standardized playbook and set of definitions for cyber incident response by Federal departments and agencies. When it’s released, the playbook will also provide the private sector with a template for cybersecurity response efforts.
AE2S has a list of top cybersecurity tips for water systems and utilities that use supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. AE2S Electrical / Instrumentation and Controls (I&C) Division Manager Damon Chmela and Jason Schuler, AE2S Security Specialist, provide additional insight here.