Taking appropriate cyber security measures is the immediate next step after adopting digital infrastructure for conducting business procedures online. Like every other sector, the utility sector has also adopted digital technological solutions like IIoT and digital twins. However, online systems are vulnerable to security breaching if not taken suitable measures. Maintaining data privacy and confidentiality is crucial for utility sector as it belongs to vital infrastructure category for a country.

Modern cyber attacks have become more complicated and harder to detect by traditional cyber security systems. Managed security services can help by supplying top – class security system based on advanced technological solutions to ensure that confidentiality and integrity is maintained all the time. Managed security services can deliver efficient cyber security system based on guidelines provided by the government authority that can minimize cyber attacks and vulnerabilities

Utility Sector and cyber attacks

Although companies and enterprises in the utility sector are taking cyber security measures, several incidents have occurred in which cyber criminals have successfully breached the security system and gained control over the utility infrastructure. Ukrainian electricity grid had experienced a major cyber attack that resulted in deactivating of 30 substations and thousands of people without electricity for six hours. According to Hornet Security, a German-based cloud security organization, 16% of the global cyber attacks are targeted at power and utility sector.

• Since the utility infrastructure predates the digital era, the industry is having new business models according to the digital environment. The sector is following new procedures of energy production, storage, transmission and consumption by end users.
• With the new transmission of shifting into digital world, proper maintenance of cyber security becomes a major challenge. To maintain privacy and integrity in the utility sector, an effective cyber security needs to follow a proactive protection plan of measures due to the sector being overly complex as well as highly distributed.

As IoT connects different power plants in the utility sector into the same online network for a better flow of control, it also simultaneously makes them prone to cyber attacks and data breaches. The utility sector needs to deliver an efficient cyber security system for maintaining privacy, integrity and confidentiality.

Managed Services – An Overview

Managed security services include necessary procedures of maintaining a secured cyber system. It is crucial to adapt managed services in the digital age to minimize cyber threat risk and network vulnerabilities. Services are outsourced to different organization by a managed security service provider or MSSP, which consists of network monitoring and security device management. An MSSP delivers a wide collection of services ranging from IT infrastructure maintenance to cyber security. Common services consist of:

• Managed firewall
• Vulnerability assessment
• Network audit
• Intrusion detection
• Virtual private network

Using modern technological solutions like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), present day MSSPs deliver top – class cyber security solutions of maintaining privacy, confidentiality and integrity of an organization network. Maintaining a healthy IT security capable of minimizing network vulnerabilities is crucial for the utility sector and therefore, it is ideal to choose a suitable MSSP that can deliver effective cyber security measures to reduce threats.

Network Assessment and Threat Detection

Proper assessment of network is crucial for the utility sector to detect the threat level and weaknesses. MSSPs would conduct a procedure known as Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing, abbreviated as VAPT. In this procedure, the service provider would conduct numerous tests that will successfully determine the present condition of the network. VAPT does not only identify vulnerabilities and weak points of the network but also delivers preferred solutions to reduce those disadvantages. MSSPs also conduct constant monitoring of network devices to ensure a secured network infrastructure.

To maintain safety, the entire network ecosystem needs to be thoroughly analyzed for detecting any threats or malicious activities that can potentially compromise the total system. Security breaching can occur anytime and can cause a significant impact on an organization. Therefore, it becomes absolutely crucial to deploy threat detection and response mechanism especially for the utility sector. MSSPs use AI-based solutions to completely neutralize possible threats so that cyber criminals can’t exploit those, thus maintaining a healthy cyber security system.

Hope this blog provides you adequate knowledge about the necessity of Managed Security Services in the utility sector. Prime Infoserv today is the most preferred CERT-In empanelled information security partner in the utility sector where we support key public sector as well as private sector enterprises in the industry delivering state-of-the-art solution on Managed IT & Security services, NoC, SoC, vulnerability assessment, audit and certification. Do check our website https://primeinfoserv.com for more details or write us at info@primeinfoserv.com or contact us at +913340085677 for queries.