Once again, the government misses the boat on grid security. On July 28, 2021 President Biden issued a “National Security Memorandum on Improving Cybersecurity for Critical Infrastructure Control Systems.” Here is the problem: It is still voluntary for electric utility companies to protect the electric grid: Accordingly, I have established an Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity…
Tag: Critical Infrastructure Protection
Admiring the Problem of Electric Grid Security
Senator Johnson: “It is way past time to stop admiring the problem.” Almost a year ago, Senator Ron Johnson, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, held a hearing entitled: “Perspectives on Protecting the Electric Grid from an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) or Geomagnetic Disturbance (GMD).”. Senator Johnson’s viewpoint is clear: We…
President Issues Executive Order on EMP
Executive Order on EMP is long overdue! I’ll never forget this moment. Tommy Waller, Tom Popik and I were driving back from a presentation in Newport New Hampshire for Jay Lucas – and I was reading aloud President Trump’s just issued Executive Order on EMP. The ink wasn’t even dry on his signature. For many…
FERC Commissioner Cheryl LaFleur: Step Up on Grid Security or Step Down!
Has Commissioner Cheryl LaFleur – and the rest of FERC – dropped the ball on grid security? Commissioner Cheryl LaFleur joined the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in July of 2010. Another interesting thing happened in July of 2010: The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) started covering up the names of entities that violate…
GridEx: Is This Exercise Enough to Protect Critical Infrastructures?
GridEx bottom line upfront GridEx is a biennial exercise run by North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). The latest iteration, GridEx IV, was held on November 15-16, 2017. Most Americans have never heard of GridEx and didn’t even know it was taking place. If fact, most people don’t really have a clear understanding of what…
Blackout: What we learn from electric grid failures
What we learn from history is that we do not learn from history I’ve always loved this quote from Benjamin Disraeli. But it occurs to me that perhaps what is more dangerous than not learning from history, is learning from history. What most Americans have learned from their experiences with blackouts is…
Woolsey: Threat to electric grid ‘keeps me awake at night’
Mar. 06, 2015 Fox News – Former CIA director James Woolsey issues dire warning about the dangers a nuclear Iran poses to the U.S. electric grid – and our very survival. Watch the latest video at <a href=”http://video.foxnews.com”>video.foxnews.com</a> Iran and North Korea are threats to the U.S. Electric Grid. Read the Washington Times article by…
United States Unprepared for an Electromagnetic Pulse
Fox News Report: United States unprepared for the results of an electromagnetic pulse Lou Dobbs interviews Dr. Peter Vincent Pry on the potential impact of an electromagnetic pulse from the sun. Apr. 22, 2014 (Time: 5:12) Watch the latest video at <a href=”http://video.foxbusiness.com”>video.foxbusiness.com</a>
Metcalf Attack: One Year Later, Electric Grid Still Unprotected
One Year After Metcalf Attack: Nearly Devastating Attack on a Key Substation Shows Necessity of Fixing the Power Grid Legislators, Experts to Discuss What Must and Can Be Done Published on Apr 17, 2014 by The Center for Security Policy. (Description from The Center for Security Policy’s YouTube channel.) Washington, DC — In the dark…
Civil Defense: Why We Need a Congressional Resolution
Civil Defense: Why We Need It Here are two undisputed facts: FACT: The electric grid is extremely vulnerable to a variety of natural and man-made threats. FACT: A long-term loss of the electric grid would be catastrophic for the U.S. Everything depends on the electric grid. Food, water, fuel, sanitation, medical services, the economy and…