MIT: Power Grid Faces Cybersecurity Threat

Bloomberg BusinessWeek: Researchers from MIT have published a new report which finds that the U.S. has not done enough to defend its power grid from cyberattacks. According to the report, nearly 6 million miles of low-voltage power lines aren’t covered by federal regulations meant to secure the grid. “If regulatory policies and the technologies employed in the grid do not change, it is likely to be difficult to maintain acceptable reliability and electric rates,” wrote the report authors.

The MIT scientists also call for a single agency to be in charge of overseeing security efforts for the nation’s power supply. Currently, the Department of Homeland Security, the North American Electric Reliability Corp. and the National Institute of Standards and Technology each play a partial role in securing the power grid.