Cybersecurity threats against energy companies, including utilities, have been increasing at an alarming rate. A comprehensive approach to ensuring cyber protection is essential and should include cybersecurity threat detection as a standard element. But not all such cybersecurity solutions are created equal. Many offer 24 x 7 vigilance and alerts but alert data alone does not increase security posture. Alerts need to analyzed and distilled in a timely fashion. The data needs to be reviewed by knowledgeable security experts who can recommend appropriate actions to improve security posture. Without these additional elements, a cybersecurity monitoring program losses value and critical information can be missed exposing the utility to risk. If timely and appropriate actions are not taken, the utility can remain vulnerable to cyber threats. For utilities with limited IT/OT resources and security expertise, a cybersecurity threat detection solution that combines alerts, intelligent threat analysis, actionable data and analytics, and access to security experts to guide them in improving their security posture offers the best solution.
