Interoperability and cybersecurity in the energy industry

Interoperability & cybersecurity in the energy industry

There can be no energy transition without interoperability and no interoperability without cybersecurity.

Executive summary

Interoperability and cybersecurity pave the way to a carbon-neutral energy world

01

Grid expansion will grow by 80% this decade – vastly increasing the surface for potential cyberattacks.

02

More than 50% of the cyberattacks in the energy sector utilize ransomware.

03

System failures account for 63% of all cybersecurity incidents in the European energy sector.

04

Security strategies need to include a thorough prevention, alert and recovery plan.

05

Security has to be considered in the design of every component – the system is only as strong as its weakest part.

06

International Energy Agency grid expansion prediction (km)

Grids are expanded quicker and quicker

Grid expansion is expected to increase by 80% this decade. Paired with an ever growing number of distributed energy resources and edge devices the attack surface grows exponentially.

Energy sector attacks (2020)

Ransomware is the weapon of choice

The majority of cyberattacks in the energy sector utilize ransomware. Such attackers demand a ransom from their victims threatening malicious actions such as the disclosure of sensitive information.

European cybersecurity incident cause breakdown for energy sector (2019)

System failures are the main cause of incidents

System failures cause even more incidents than malicious actions in the European energy sector.