NOVI – In the Oct. 2 episode of MITech TV, we spoke with Matt Kurpinski, vice president, information technology and chief information officer at ITC about October’s Cyber Security Awareness Month. Maintaining cyber security is essential for the power grid – an interconnected network of electric generation, transmission, distribution, control and communication technologies.
ITC is the nation’s largest independent transmission company, uniquely focused on the transmission portion of the system that carries electricity over long distances from where it is generated to where it’s needed, so local distribution lines can feed that power into homes and businesses.
Along with weather events such as severe storms, the grid can be vulnerable in the face of malicious cyber-attacks. Threats to the grid are becoming more sophisticated, and cyber security puts protective systems in place.
ITC works closely with industry stakeholders as well as federal, state and local agencies to improve cyber protection standards. Specifically, the company works with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation and other entities to enhance cybersecurity.
Internally, ITC addresses cybersecurity from multiple angles, including network, software and physical security, as well as human factors. Kurpinski said the company updates its security systems in response to real-world intelligence from partners and agencies so the team can adapt to threats in real time.
Cyber Security Awareness Month is a great time to reinforce training efforts and remind staff why cyber security is essential for business and personal use. A company’s employee base is its biggest protection from threats, so it’s important employees know how to guard against cyber-attacks. Each year, ITC hosts employee activities to raise awareness for effective cyber security habits, including phishing competitions, quizzes and interactive panel conversations.
Anyone can be cyber savvy by using strong passwords, locking devices and using touch identification features, avoiding Wi-Fi hotspots and public Wi-Fi and identifying scams via email and text.
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