disc5

 Online threats and vulnerabilities bring unwanted attention and offer a blueprint to the attackers impacting the power grid system of the country reducing electricity. This impacts our economy. 

         FERC has the authority to issue endorsements for new interstate gas pipelines and to set their rates, yet not to control their security. In May 2017, TSA affirmed that it had only 6 full-time workers entrusted with verifying the more than 2.7 million miles of petroleum gas, oil and hazardous liquid pipelines that navigate the nation. Given the high stakes, Congress should vest duty regarding pipeline security with an office that completely grasps the vitality segment and has adequate assets to address this developing danger. 

Commonality:

Certain desirable and security attributes must be present to ensure maximum resilience against cyber attacks i.e best practices. Security standards and security compliance are the principles of commonality. The six best practices for national infrastructure protection are: 

1. Locally relevant and appropriate security policy

2. Organizational culture of security protection

3. Commitment to infrastructure simplification

4. Certification and education program for decision makers

5. Career path and reward structure for security teams.

6. Evidence of responsible past security practice.

Diversity: 

Companies need to diversify their security teams if it is implemented as a part of recruitments strategy increases the range of skills available. Diversity comes in many forms like race, gender, age, physical abilities, etc.  As mentioned in the article by (Flaherty,2018), “Typically, women are more risk averse and their natural, detailed exploration makes them more attuned to changing pattern behaviors – a skill that’s needed for correctly identifying threat actors and protecting environments".  Diversity in cybersecurity incorporates gender and ethnicity. Critically, strong cybersecurity additionally requires discipline assorted variety, so as to make practical arrangements.  During the 1980s, it was perceived that powerful cybersecurity requests the technologists, yet in addition and similarly the contribution from different divisions and parts of the undertaking, including the executives, legitimate, consistency, HR, and correspondences.

                                                                                                                     References

 Amoroso. G. E. (2013). Cyber attacks: Protecting national infrastructure. Waltham, MA: Elsevier Inc.

Flaherty, K. (2018, Dec 14). How diversity can help fight cyber-attacks. Retrieved from  https://www.information-age.com/how-diversity-can-cyber-123477494/

Glick, R., & Chatterjee, N. (2018, June 11). Cybersecurity threats to U.S. gas pipelines call for stricter oversight. Retrieved from https://www.axios.com/cybersecurity-threats-to-us-gas-pipelines-call-for-stricter-oversight-09fac6e5-da94-491e-9523-d08ef15237f4.html

Hurley, D. (2017, May 7).Improving Cybersecurity: The Diversity Imperative. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/ sites/ciocentral/2017/05/07/ improving-cybersecurity-the- diversity-imperative/#12d7b0b81e30

Discussion 2

How the Threats would Impact the Economy

In the energy system and the economy, there are billions of actors involved. Similarly, a many countries, stakeholders, and companies are involved and are influencing each other. Therefore, an attack on the SCADA system is successful attacked, devastating losses and damages will be experienced (Sobczak, Northey, & Behr, 2017). For example, the economy will experience inflation because he prices for gas and fuel with go up. The problem will trickle down to the prices of commodities and residents will have to pay more for basic necessities. The attacks on the pipeline and gas systems will cause spillage of oil and gas and cause explosions and pollution. This could lead to law suits and monetary settlements that could cost rob the economy a lot of money.

Using Diversity and Commonality to Mitigate Threats

It is important to have significant level of physical diversity. It is important to have is kind of diversity because it minimizes the level of reliance on one local power grid. It also reduces the probability of cyber-attack because there will be multiple facilities involved. That involves uses two centers from different power grid segments and weather patterns (Amoroso, 2012). The diversity can also include getting supplies from different suppliers or vendors such as electronic component to ensure that no one supplier has excess influence on the infrastructure’s integrity. The diversity of network route is also important because it ensures reduced the probability of malicious issues that can affect the connectivity (Amoroso, 2012). On the other hand, commonality will provide standard audit that will require each organization to adhere to standard audit which prohibit firm from functioning below the minimal acceptable threshold. Similarly, world-class focus entails strong focus on significant practices for protection the national infrastructure.

References

Amoroso, E. (2012). Cyber-attacks: protecting national infrastructure. Elsevier.

Sobczak, B. Northey, H. & Behr, P. (2017). Cyber raises threat against America's energy backbone. Retrieved from https://www.eenews.net/stories/1060054924