[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/6235\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EEurope\u0027s power grids readied against cyber attack\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022DefaultStyle\u0022\u003ELittle has changed in power grids since the first national ones were established in the 1930s. But now scientists, engineers and other experts are rethinking European networks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022DefaultStyle\u0022\u003EThe vulnerability of power grids to hackers was demonstrated in 2010, when a computer worm known as Stuxnet derailed nuclear centrifuges in Iran. The worm \u2013 which is thought to have been developed by an advanced nation state \u2013\u0026nbsp;was the first known cyber attack on physical infrastructure.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022DefaultStyle\u0022\u003EThe consequences of a cyber attack on an active power grid could be disastrous. There would be not only the cost of repairing the immediate damage, but also the cost of the disruption to homes, businesses and services that rely on electricity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022DefaultStyle\u0022\u003EDrawing on expertise from power-network security, technology policy, regulatory economics, disaster impact assessment, network simulation and engineering, a project known as SESAME is the first that has been funded by the EU to take on this problem.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022DefaultStyle\u0022\u003E\u2018What we have provided is a comprehensive approach to power-system security,\u2019 said Professor Ettore Bompard, the scientific coordinator of SESAME and a power-systems engineer at the Polytechnic University of Turin in Italy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022DefaultStyle\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBlackout simulator\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022DefaultStyle\u0022\u003EThey\u2019ve designed a \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.blackout-simulator.com\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Eblackout simulator\u003C\/a\u003E which works out how much a blackout would cost, so that operators can decide whether it is worth deploying expensive countermeasures. These could include installing alternative transmission lines in case a regular line fails, and encrypting information.\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003E\u2018What we have provided is a comprehensive approach to power-system security.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EProfessor Ettore Bompard, Polytechnic University of Turin, Italy\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022DefaultStyle\u0022\u003EProf. Bompard and colleagues from universities and companies across the EU have come up with a system that gives grid operators the information they need to make decisions in the face of a potentially devastating cyber attack.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022DefaultStyle\u0022\u003EThey tested it on two national power grids: Austria and Romania, for the latter of which they had real comprehensive data. According to Prof. Bompard, independent operators in both countries agreed with the recommendations to install certain support systems to defend their grids in the event of a cyber or conventional attack.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022DefaultStyle\u0022\u003EHowever, it can also partially rely on people who put energy into the grid from domestic wind turbines and solar panels. Should a centralised power station fail, said Prof. Bompard, these people could keep the grid partially flowing with electricity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022DefaultStyle\u0022\u003E\u2018For security, this is a chance,\u2019 he said. \u2018You can keep the neighbourhood power system working even if there is a blackout at a transmission level.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022DefaultStyle\u0022\u003EThis distributed power generation model is one ingredient of what have come to be called smart grids \u2013 power networks that can respond in more flexible ways to 21st century energy supplies and demands. Such demands come, for example, from electric vehicles, the widespread use of which can exert a massive drain on a power supply at peak times.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EManaging smart grids entails the efficient shifting of power from one region to another, and controlling the times of the day when certain power is allocated. But that is also fraught with risk.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022DefaultStyle\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOn the fly\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022DefaultStyle\u0022\u003ETechnology that\u0027s already being tested in an operational power grid in the Netherlands, based at Dutch grid company Alliander,\u0026nbsp;means that in the case of a blackout, the way the grid is managed can be reconfigured on the fly to keep power flowing where it\u0027s needed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022DefaultStyle\u0022\u003EIt\u0027s all thanks to a revolutionary new system known as C-DAX, which was put together\u0026nbsp;in a laboratory at the \u00c9cole Polytechnique F\u00e9d\u00e9rale de Lausanne in Switzerland.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022DefaultStyle\u0022\u003EToday\u0027s grids are run using stand-alone manned units known as silos, with each one managing separate demands on electricity.\u0026nbsp;However, in the EU-funded C-DAX system, each silo is turned into a virtual representation - known as a topic - which can be adapted and reconfigured as needed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022DefaultStyle\u0022\u003EThat flexibility makes it much more resilient to an attack.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022DefaultStyle\u0022\u003E\u2018The topic-based communication provides inherent security since target hosts are obscured,\u2019 explained Dr Matthias Strobbe, a computer scientist at Ghent University in Belgium.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022DefaultStyle\u0022\u003ENot only that, but because C-DAX is a new system, they have been able to incorporate security measures such as multi-level encryption right from the start, whereas the silos are inefficient and do not have cybersecurity functions built in.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022DefaultStyle\u0022\u003E\u0027C-DAX incorporates proven security measures addressing authentication, privacy and integrity in an end-to-end fashion,\u2019 said Dr Strobbe.\u003Cdiv class=\u0022moreinfoblock\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ch3\u003ECyber security in Europe\u003C\/h3\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EThe EU\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/digital-agenda\/en\/news\/communication-cybersecurity-strategy-european-union-%E2%80%93-open-safe-and-secure-cyberspace\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 style=\u0022font-size: 13.008px; line-height: 1.538em;\u0022\u003Ecyber security strategy\u003C\/a\u003E includes a proposed directive on network and information security which is aimed at enhancing the resilience of information systems across Europe.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt is a key component of the EU\u2019s Digital Agenda, as it sees trust and security as a vital part of a vibrant digital society.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe directive, which is currently under discussion by lawmakers, would require Member States and critical infrastructure operators to take measures to ensure that the digital environment is secure and trustworthy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor more information: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/digital-agenda\/en\/cybersecurity\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/digital-agenda\/en\/cybersecurity\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/textarea\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003Cdiv id=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 class=\u0022ecl-help-block description\u0022\u003E\n Please copy the above code and embed it onto your website to republish.\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cinput autocomplete=\u0022off\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022form-eorwwqm-cahgeozufuttyjselc6eafbbawghhnnc-rm\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_build_id\u0022 value=\u0022form-eorwWQM_CAHGeozuFUttYJSElC6EaFBbAwGHhNnC_RM\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Cinput data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_id\u0022 value=\u0022modal_form_example_modal_form\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003C\/form\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","dialogOptions":{"width":"800","modal":true,"title":"Republish this content"}}]