India intends to mandate cyber security measures for Power Grids

After the cyber attack on Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant last year, the nation wants electricity grid operators to install firewalls and other security measures to avert any attacks on their information technology systems and check rising hacking incidents of power networks across the world.

Energy networks across the world have been key targets for hackers, prompting governments to take safeguard measures. Grid operators and regulatory agencies will need to have a continuity plan handy in the event of a cyber attack, according to draft rules published by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission. The move is part of overhaul of the decade-old guidelines.

The draft report advises central and state transmission utilities and load dispatch centers to ensure protection of sensitive data and identify reserve transmission capacities that can take over in case of a disruption apart from regular monitoring of risks. It also recommends that these bodies prioritize resources and allocate adequate workforce for online security.

To deal with malware, India protects its central power grid through multiple firewalls and has isolated it from office networks.

According to Communications and Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, the country has been a target of cyber attacks, with 529 federal and state government websites being hacked since 2016.