Protecting the grid from threats

Protecting America’s electric grid to ensure a reliable, affordable and secure supply of electricity is a top priority for electric cooperatives like South Central Power Company.

In an effort to bolster our cybersecurity practices, South Central Power pursued funding opportunities available from a variety of sources, and recently was awarded $50,000 for cybersecurity improvements from the Department of Energy’s Rural & Municipal Utility Cybersecurity program.

The RMUC program helps electric cooperative, municipal, and small investor-owned utilities protect against, detect, respond to, and recover from cybersecurity threats and to  increase their participation in cybersecurity threat information sharing programs.

Electric cooperatives in Ohio work together and with our local generation and transmission cooperative, Buckeye Power, along with our statewide services organization and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the national trade association for electric cooperatives. Together, we’re leading efforts to provide tools and share resources and training information to harden and improve the overall cyber landscape.

You can help, too. Good cyber hygiene is equally important at home and in our personal lives. Just like grid technology continues to expand, so does the connected home. With smart (internet-connected) technologies integrated into many of our homes, whether it be a smart speaker or a connected appliance, it’s essential to take steps to protect our devices and personal data.

Here are a few cybersecurity tips you can implement at home

Enable multi-factor or 2-factor authentication for your online accounts. This extra layer of security allows websites and applications to confirm you’re really who you say you are. The additional authentication may come in many forms, including a confirmation text code on your phone, an email, or even a separate authenticator app.

Use secure passwords. This means using unique passwords for all your accounts and ensuring they are 14 characters or more. Randomly generated passwords or passphrases are typically more secure. You might also consider using some type of password manager to help secure storage of complex, unique passwords. In addition to suggesting new, strong and unique credentials for every login, many password managers will let you know if your existing passwords are weak, reused, or have been associated with a data breach.

Think before you click. Be careful when clicking links or opening attachments. This is one of the most important ways to protect yourself against scammers and hackers. If you receive a text message or email that seems too good to be true, threatens negative consequences for not taking immediate action, or displays a sense of urgency, take extra precautions. If an email looks like it came from a friend or co-worker, but it seems odd, pick up the phone and check with the person before opening any links or attachments.

 

From the October 2024 issue of Ohio Cooperative Living.