India Releases Cybersecurity Guidelines for Power Sector

The Indian Government’s Power Ministry and the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) recently released cybersecurity guidelines to enhance the power sector’s cybersecurity readiness. It is the first time that cybersecurity guidelines are created for the sector.

CEA, under the “Central Electricity Authority (Technical Standards for Connectivity to the Grid) (Amendment) Regulations, 2019”, framed the guidelines. Moreover, all power sector utilities must comply with the new regulations.

The guideline lays out a cyber assurance frame. It also strengthens the regulatory framework and implements various mechanisms for security threat early warning, vulnerability management, and response to security threats. Additionally, it helps secure remote operations and services.

Relevant entities, system integrators, equipment manufacturers, suppliers and vendors, and providers are expected to follow the new cybersecurity guidelines. IT hardware and software OEMs must also comply.

OpenGov Asia reported that the scheme’s implementation would be based on an action plan created for each Indian state. Funds are also available for the identified projects under India’s Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) and approved ongoing projects under the development program (PMDP) for the union territories in Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh until March 2023.

These guidelines aim to enhance the overall efficiency and financial sustainability of the country’s distribution companies. The scheme also aims to reduce aggregate technical and commercial losses to pan India levels by up to 15% over the next four years.

As more and more countries began to replace outdated technologies with more advanced options to improve their systems and infrastructure, the need for an optimized and robust cybersecurity solution has increased.

Apart from mitigating cyber threats that could wreak havoc on operations, a cybersecurity framework can help enhance the performance and efficiency of a system. It also aids in creating a safe infrastructure that benefits the community,

One way to further improve an infrastructure or enterprise’s operation and cybersecurity are identifying security threats to look out for.

To learn more about these risks, check out Trend Micro’s Best Practices for Securing Smart Factories: Three Steps to Keep Operations Running. This exhaustive study identifies security issues faced by smart factories and recommends strategies to mitigate them.

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