power towers

Senate Passes Bill To Explore ‘Analog’ Solutions to Securing America’s Energy Grid

If the Securing Energy Infrastructure Act is signed into law, it will create a working group tasked with isolating the energy grid from attacks using “manual procedures.”

In response to growing cybersecurity threats, the Senate passed a bill on June 27 that would bolster the security of the U.S. energy grid by removing vulnerabilities that could allow hackers to gain unauthorized access to the digital system.

The Securing Energy Infrastructure Act, introduced by Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) and Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), establishes a two-year pilot program with the National Laboratories tasked with creating a working group of private and public sector experts. The group will seek to identify security issues and research solutions to “isolate the energy grid from attacks,” according to a press release from King’s office.

Most surprisingly, King and Risch’s bill encourages the working group to explore the possibility of adopting new “analog devices” to isolate the most crucial parts of the energy grid from a digital system that could be manipulated by hackers.

“[The group] will examine ways to replace automated systems with low-tech redundancies, like manual procedures controlled by human operators,” the release reads. “This approach seeks to thwart even the most sophisticated cyber-adversaries who, if they are intent on accessing the grid, would have to actually physically touch the equipment, thereby making cyber-attacks much more difficult.”

The legislation was partly inspired by a cyberattack on Ukraine’s power grid in 2015 that led to power outages for over 230,000 residents. Investigators said the attack could have been much worse if the Ukrainan control system had not been “well-segmented from the control center business networks with robust firewalls,” according to WIRED magazine. Because of their grid setup, Ukrainan officials were able to restore power in the affected areas within one to six hours.

King and other members of Congress want to see the U.S. take a similar “retro” approach that would protect parts of the grid from any unauthorized digital access. The bill already has some support in the House of Representatives, where Democrat Dutch Ruppersberger of Maryland and Republican John Carter of Texas have introduced a companion measure.

If the bill is signed into law, the working group will have about two years to research analog security techniques and share their findings to the Secretary of Energy. The secretary will then be required to submit a report to Congress describing the results of the program and the feasibility of implementing the group’s recommendations.

The measure is dividing the opinions of security experts, with some applauding the effort to shift back to manual operations as a legitimate way of securing the grid. Other experts, though, say that the move could be costly and inefficient.

“We don't need to disconnect from the internet,” Ian Thornton-Trump, security head at AMTrust Europe, told Forbes. “We need to figure out how to make sure we can't control systems from the internet–or if we can, we need to be able to do it securely.”

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Video Surveillance Trends to Watch

    With more organizations adding newer capabilities to their surveillance systems, it’s always important to remember the “basics” of system configuration and deployment, as well as the topline benefits of continually emerging technologies like AI and the cloud. Read Now

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services
  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

New Products

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.