"An assessment released by the departments of Energy and Homeland Security this week finds that there are shortfalls preventing the energy sector from improving its ability to respond rapidly in the event of a major cyberattack that disrupts the electric grid.

The report, which was mandated by President Trump’s 2017 cybersecurity executive order, states that the United States is generally “well prepared” to manage major disruptions to the electric grid, such as cyberattacks that knock out power.

It emphasizes the action the federal government has taken over the last two years to prepare for a significant cyber incident, such as Homeland Security rolling out a national blueprint for cyber incident response at the end of the Obama administration.

However, the report details a number of “gaps” preventing private electric utilities, government entities and other stakeholders from bolstering their ability to provide effective incident response in the event of a major cyber assault on the grid."

Morgan Chalfant reports for The Hill May 31, 2018. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"Security: FERC Approves $2.7M Cyber Fine Without Naming Names" (EnergyWire) [3]

"Section 2(e): Assessment of Electricity Disruption Incident Response Capabilities" (Energy Department) [4]