Westinghouse is the First Nuclear Instrumentation and Controls (I&C) Supplier to Provide Critical Electrical Grid Components for Cyber-Related Testing Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) today announced a collaboration with Westinghouse Electric Company to test for potential cyber vulnerabilities in one of the company’s Instrumentation and Controls (I&C) systems used for nuclear applications. Testing will take place at the Idaho National Laboratory. Westinghouse joins four other private sector companies, and is the first nuclear energy company, actively participating in the DOE’s Cyber Testing for Resilient Industrial Control Systems (CyTRICS™) program.
The security of industrial control systems and software supply chains ensure the continued operation and functionality of a broad range of U.S. critical infrastructure activities that support critical functions within our communities. If vulnerabilities in these systems are exploited, the consequences can have cascading impacts across all sectors.
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"Addressing supply chain cybersecurity in the U.S. energy sector is critical to achieving the nation’s clean energy and national security objectives," said Puesh M. Kumar, Director of CESER. "The best way to strengthen America’s energy security is for the public and private sectors to work in partnership. This partnership with Westinghouse will be a critical component in strengthening the supply chain cybersecurity of critical complements used to operate U.S. energy systems."
“As a global supplier of nuclear safety I&C equipment, this partnership supports our commitment to provide products fortified against cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities,” said, Westinghouse Vice President of Global Instrumentation & Controls, Kenneth Lunz.
The CyTRICS program tests critical system components to identify cyber vulnerabilities before they are exploited, improving the integrity and reliability of the energy system. DOE connects equipment manufacturers, vendors, and utilities with state-of-the art, intelligence-informed analytic capabilities at its National Laboratories where they test operational technology components voluntarily submitted by the participating companies. As testing expands, CyTRICS is looking to identify systemic supply chain vulnerabilities and to help engineer out cyber weaknesses in next-generation systems, strengthening the security and resilience of software and hardware in the energy sector.
Westinghouse sets a strong industry example for participation in DOE’s mission to secure and strengthen the nation’s critical electric infrastructure. CyTRICS, the testing arm of Energy Cyber Sense, is an initiative of President Biden’s Infrastructure Law to build cybersecurity risk management capabilities and resources for the energy sector supply chain at a national scale.
Learn more about CyTRICS, CESER, and the Idaho National Laboratory. ...
Read the full news release here
