ALERT: NERC Proposes CIP Revisions to Modify Cybersecurity Protections

This past March, NERC proposed new revisions to help close the gaps in the CIP-003 Reliability Standard.

The additional measures will modify the cybersecurity protections for low-impact BES Cyber Systems, including:

• Electronic access control permitting only necessary inbound and outbound access to low-impact BES Cyber Systems for certain communications, whether direct or indirect, using routable protocols.
• Protection of transient electronic devices such as laptops and smartphones, to mitigate exposure of low-impact BES Cyber Systems to malicious code.
• Documentation for cybersecurity policies for CIP Exceptional Circumstances for low-impact BES Cyber Systems, including cybersecurity emergencies, natural disasters, civil unrest, imminent or existing hardware, and software, or equipment failures.

FERC is likely to approve these additional standards. Utilities have expressed their support in lengthy stakeholder engagement. The goal of the revisions is to close the gaps in the CIP-003 Reliability Standard identified by FERC. An upcoming notice and comment process at FERC will provide another good opportunity for utilities to help guide the new standards, or pose any challenges.

To help you define the cyber security threat and review the numerous guidelines and recommendations, you can download SSS's FREE White Paper - Utility Cyber Security 2017! Get it now!

NERC, Cybersecurity & About Us

Founded in 1999, Second Sight Systems is a total solutions provider for utility communications and technical field services.  Our Utility Field Services team is a provider of outsourced utility field operations and metering services to help improve efficiency, productivity, and response time.  This includes electric, gas and water.

As an exclusive distributor and integrator of GE’s next-generation MDS™ radios, Second Sight is a one stop shop for SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) communications for Utilities and Industrial applications, supplying a full-range of wireless solutions. To learn more, visit https://prdsecondsight.wpengine.com/services/wireless-data-systems/ or contact our Cybersecurity and Wireless Data Systems Team today at info@sssrf.com.

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