Energy Department boosts University Cybersecurity Centers with $15 Million investment

TLDR:

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has invested $15 million in university-based cybersecurity centers focused on enhancing cybersecurity in the energy sector. Six universities will collaborate with industry stakeholders and DOE National Laboratories to develop region-specific cybersecurity capabilities for the electricity system. The centers will focus on various aspects of cybersecurity, including mitigating cyberattacks on distributed energy resources, bolstering the resilience of the distribution grid, leveraging digital twins for cybersecurity assessment, addressing cybersecurity challenges in DER and microgrids, developing frameworks to mitigate cyber-physical attack stages, and exploring moving target defense techniques. The centers will also provide cybersecurity education programs for energy professionals.

Key Points:

• $15 million investment in university-based electric power centers
• Collaboration with industry stakeholders and DOE National Laboratories for cybersecurity research and training initiatives

Article Summary:

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a $15 million investment in university-based cybersecurity centers focused on enhancing cybersecurity in the energy sector. The centers, selected by the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER), aim to collaborate with industry stakeholders and DOE National Laboratories to develop region-specific cybersecurity capabilities tailored to the electricity system, infrastructure, and workforce skills.

Six universities have been chosen to receive funding for cybersecurity research and training initiatives. The University of Connecticut will focus on mitigating cyberattacks on distributed energy resources (DER), while Iowa State University aims to bolster the resilience of the distribution grid. The University of Pittsburgh will leverage digital twins for assessing cybersecurity measures’ effectiveness, and the Illinois Institute of Technology will address cybersecurity challenges in DER and microgrids.

Texas Tech University will develop a framework to mitigate cyber-physical attack stages with a focus on DER integration in rural utilities, while Florida International University will explore the moving target defense technique to prevent cyberattacks. These centers will also provide cybersecurity education programs to train energy professionals in safeguarding critical infrastructure from cyber threats.