Email Security For Energy

Today’s interconnected world means relying on cyber-resilient energy delivery systems as so much of a nations security, economic prosperity, and individuals’ wellbeing hinges on a reliable energy infrastructure. Because of this, it is vital that the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) take action to ensure the electric power grid and the oil and natural gas infrastructure is as resilient as possible to cyber threats.
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And while attacks on the energy sector may mirror those in other industries, the stakes are notably higher; phishing, malware, and other such attacks could potentially give hackers access to credentials necessary to access power grids, generators, oil wells, and other sensitive control areas.

The energy industry is critical to national infrastructure and industrial success but is also an attractive target for cyber attackers looking to leverage the sector for their own gain, with as many as 30 cyber-attacks on the energy sector reported each day. These attackers are drawn to the high value of the energy industries assets and data, as seen in the 2021 Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack which led to theft of personal data and - due to the public pressure and risk to brand reputation - payment of the roughly $5 million ransom.
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Energy providers also often have an expansive and increasing attack surface, stemming from their geographical and organizational complexity, as well as the decentralized nature of their cybersecurity leadership. According to Forbes, 2020 saw ransomware attacks rise by 150% and ransomware payments by over 300%. And while federal agencies have begun to take notice in the wake of recent attacks on critical infrastructure, the infrastructure remains vulnerable to bad actors.

It is important that energy providers take a proactive approach to security, ensuring that strong protections are in place to prevent ransomware and other cyberthreats from wreaking havoc. Strong email security is a great place to start and refers to the collective measures used in order to secure the access and content of an email account of service.
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Email security systems can be delivered as a cloud service, as part of a hybrid deployments model, or fully on-premises. The solution is similar to a firewall in that it uses threat detection technologies - like attachment sandboxing and URL link scanning - to act as a barrier between users and the spam or ransomware they receive. Human error is the most easily exploited gap in organizations cyber security defences, but a good email gateway can help close this gap.