ACSC helps power energy sector's cybersecurity capabilities

The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) has plugged into energy sector organisations and government agencies to help power their cybersecurity capabilities.

The nationwide program — which started in November 2018 – aims to improve the energy industry’s cyber threat resilience and responses.

So far, the ACSC has provided cybersecurity incident response and exercise training, information exchange sessions on operational technology systems, and presentations on government cybersecurity arrangements, red teaming and industry uplift programs to 100 participants from 50 industry partners and government agencies.

ACSC Head Rachel Noble said: “The scale and impact of malicious cyber activity, by those seeking to harm or disrupt Australians, is increasing. This program strengthens cyber resilience and incident response capability in Australia’s electricity sector, an industry on which Australians rely every day.”

The ACSC will be holding a national cybersecurity exercise later this year, giving the electricity industry the opportunity to test their cyber resilience, Noble added.

Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) Managing Director and CEO Audrey Zibelman said the AEMO’s partnership with the ACSC builds on existing initiatives, including developing the Australian Energy Sector Cyber Security Framework.

“The framework, providing market participants with useful resources to assess their vulnerabilities and rate capabilities, coupled with this program of targeted events, training and educational materials, is strengthening cyber resilience across the energy sector,” Zibelman said.

Other program participants reported the activities provided insights into organisational change in relation to cybersecurity and better prepared them for real-time attacks.

Those interested in participating in cybersecurity information exchange and training activities throughout 2019 can register by emailing asd.assist@defence.gov.au.

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