Workshop 4: Smart Grid Cyber Security

Workshops


October 21 afternoon

Workshop 4:  Smart Grid Cyber Security

Although power utilities across North America operate within their own jurisdictional frameworks, their networks are moving toward a higher level of interconnection as a consequence of the roll out of Smart Grid technologies. As such, attacks on their critical infrastructure may not be contained within jurisdictional borders. Security and resiliency of electrical power infrastructure needs to be ensured through a federally supported coordination, collaboration and standardization program.  Issues that need to be thoroughly examined are:

  • What communication security threats are most critical for electrical utilities?
  • How vulnerable are existing communication standards and protocols?
  • Are vendor implementations of these standards truly interoperable?
  • How willing are vendors to embrace standards and move away from proprietary solutions?
  • What security best practices exist to help utilities today?
  • What security technologies are needed in the future?
  • What role can policy makers play?
Our panel will discuss these, and other related issues with smart grid cyber security, and provide plenty of time for Q&A.

Schedule:

1:30 – 1:40 -  Dr. Hassan Farhangi, Director, BCIT Group for Advanced Information Technology
Welcome and Opening Remarks

1:40 – 2:00 – Bob Lockhart, Research Director, Navigant Research
Smart Grid Communications Security – What Utilities Are Actually Doing

2:00 – 2:20 – Neil Rerup, Enterprise Security Architect, BC Hydro
Cybersecurity Technology Strategy Development for Utilities

2:20 – 2:40 – Patrick C Miller, Managing Partner, The Anfield Group
Securing the Grid – A Discussion on Dependence

2:40 – 3:00 – Justin W Clarke, Principal Consultant, Cyclance
Understanding the Smart Grid Attack Surface – Risks, Hypothetical Attacks, and Protective Countermeasures

3:00 – 3:30 – Coffee Break

3:30 – 3:50 – Frank Turbide, Technical Analyst, Canadian Cyber Incident Response Centre (CCIRC), Public Safety Canada
Briefing to Critical Infrastructure Sector Organizations on the CCIRC


3:50 – 5:00 – Panel Discussion, moderated by Dr. Hassan Farhangi