Sector
Energy and utilities
Critical infrastructure that must hold, even under attack.
The real question is not “are we under attack?” but “on what criterion do we stop ourselves, and can we run without IT?”
The context
In energy, a precautionary shutdown can cost as much as the attack itself. We help define decision criteria in advance, secure remote access and prepare communication with authorities.
Remote access
VPN access and inactive accounts remain common ways in, as the Colonial Pipeline attack showed in 2021. An access point rarely used, forgotten by everyone except an attacker, is often enough to set everything off.
Precautionary shutdown
Without clear visibility into what is actually compromised, the default reaction is to stop everything, including what isn't affected. That is exactly the costly but understandable choice Colonial Pipeline had to make, for lack of better information.
Reporting duties
Authorities require fast reporting after an incident affecting critical infrastructure, often within just a few hours. Improvising these communications during the crisis adds a burden that templates prepared in advance can avoid.