Power grid security

U.S. power companies told to review defenses after Ukraine cyber attack

A quasi-governmental U.S. electric industry group last week advised members to review network defenses following reports that 80,000 customers of a Western Ukraine utility lost power for six hours following a cyber attack.

The Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center, or E-ISAC, urged members to "do a better job" at implementing multiple layers of defense against potential cyber attacks, saying the incident at Ukraine's Prykarpattyaoblenergo electricity provider appeared to be the result of a "coordinated effort by a malicious actor."

The nine-page confidential document, reviewed by Reuters, did not identify deficiencies in the U.S. grid that could lead to similar attacks.