Smart Grid operators and their service providers must act now to achieve cyber resilience

SMi Reports (2016.29.11, London, UK): IT Governance urges the smart grid industry to adopt risk management practices and follow security standard to meet NIS Directive requirements.

Following the rise of smart technology in the last decades, since January 2012, the European Commission put forwards the EU Data Protection Reform and the Network and Information (NIS) Directive to increase user’s control over their data and to protect critical infrastructure by achieving a high common level of security in network and information systems across the European Union. Having been approved, the NIS Directive came into force in August 2016 and this will be followed by the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) from May 2018.

More than ever, utility companies and their service providers will have to act very quickly in order to meet the requirement established by the NIS Directive. Commenting on this, Alan Calder, founder and chief executive officer of IT Governance, leader in data protection and data protection said:

“In the last few years, we’ve seen a significant growth in Internet-connected smart devices incorporated into our household appliances, and these devices are now essential tools to efficiently and effectively run our everyday activities. It is critical that organisations look at the security measures being taken, particularly as smart devices present considerable security challenges and cyber criminals’ tactics and methods are constantly evolving.

To secure sensitive data, the smart grid industry needs to focus on developing people, processes and technologies to meet this challenge. A good first step would be to look at security standards, technologies and procedures that have proven to be reliable.”

Alan Calder will be speaking at SMi’s Group 7th annual European Smart Grid Cyber Security Conference to shed light on the latest cyber security issues, the requirements imposed by European legislation and the role of international standards in achieving cyber resilience.

Taking place on the 21st-22nd March in London, European Smart Grid Cyber Security 2017 is a platform to meet and discuss latest regulatory standards, advances in technological solutions, the latest smart metering programmes, European utility market dynamics, advances in construction and technology, communication and human issues and how to overcome them.

Other notable presenters includes National Grid, Enel SpA, European Network for Cyber Security (ENCS), Energinet DK, ElaadNl & Enexis, Smart Energy Code Company (SECCo), MITRE, CPqD, Toreon CVBA, Norwegian Centre for Information Security (NorSIS) Smart Energy Demand Coalition (SEDC), SecurityMatters, Smart Energy GB,ONRIZ gcv, Smart Homes and Building Associations.

For those looking to attend, there is a £400 early bird saving available online ending on 30th November 2016.

Further information is available at http://www.smartgridcybersecurity.co.uk/openpr

7th Annual European Smart Grid Cyber Security
21st – 22nd March 2017
Holiday Inn Kensington Forum, London, UK
http://www.smartgridcybersecurity.co.uk/openpr

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This release was published on openPR.