Electricity is the major driving force for any economy. ‘Access to clean and affordable energy’, is one of the goals under 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. According to International Energy Agency and World Bank, one-quarter of India’s population lacks access to electricity. While access to electricity has been a challenge for decades, there is one other emerging problem which is ensuring cyber security in the energy sector. Economies have become more dependent on Information and communication Technology (ICT) and hence vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Cyber-attacks target the economic infrastructure to reduce the available state resources and undermine the confidence in their supporting structures. The most serious cyber security risks are those that threaten the functioning of Critical Information Infrastructures (CII). In India, the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Center (NCIIIPC), the nodal agency for protection of CII, has identified eight CII which are: Telecom, Banking and Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI), Government database, Power & Energy, Strategic & Public Enterprises (PSUs and Heavy Industries).
Is the Energy Industry Cyber Secure?
