REPORT LAUNCH: SECURING THE ENERGY TRANSITION AGAINST CYBER THREATS - The Atlantic Council Global Energy Center and the Cyber Statecraft Initiative hosted on July 12 from 3:30PM – 5PM EDT for the launch of a new report, “Securing the Energy Transition against Cyber Threats.” Secretary Michael Chertoff, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of The Chertoff Group and Former Secretary of Homeland Security, and General Wesley Clark, CEO of Wesley K. Clark & Associates and Former Supreme Allied Commander of Europe, served as co-chairs of the Task Force and delivered keynote remarks, followed by a panel discussion.

Cybersecurity will only become more central as the energy sector increases the digital connectivity of its operations. In addition, intermittency, demand response, and load balancing are becoming increasingly prominent features of the grid, necessitating complex, digitally enabled infrastructure and creating additional exposure to bad cyber actors. A strong, nimble, integrated cyber defense will thus be crucial to secure the energy transition. Over the course of twelve months, the Atlantic Council convened a Task Force on cybersecurity and the energy transition to survey the obstacles the energy sector will face in its effort to attain a secure, reliable future and provide recommendations to surmount them. The findings of the Task Force were incorporated into the report and were discussed during this timely event.

Panelists examined the steps the public and private sectors can take to create cyber-aware workforces, upgrade vulnerable infrastructure and supply chains, and improve information sharing capabilities. The discussion also addressed recommendations from the report which concern government command structure, organizational roles and responsibilities, and the effectiveness of federal vehicles that support cyber resilience in the energy sector.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 07/12/22