Intel and McAfee Move Into Smart Grid Security with Critical Infrastructure Protection

Intel Security a division of Intel has launched new security solution for the smart grid sector, called Intel Security Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP). Intel said CIP is the result of extensive industry surveys among smart grids executives and a joint development in collaboration with the Department of Energy, Texas, Wind River and Texas Tech University. The solution works to protect today's smart grids from cyber and other IT related attacks and offers the added benefit of being able to work with legacy and new smart grid infrastructure.

Intel said the Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) solution provides a secure managed platform that includes fundamental protection building blocks such as device identity, malware protection, data protection and resiliency – all tailored to today’s machine-to-machine environments.

CIP works by separating the security management functions of the platform from the operational applications, allowing the operational layer to be robustly secured, monitored and managed.  Intel Security CIP solution can be applied with little or no changes to business processes or application software, and can be retrofitted onto many existing systems.

Intel said in 2010 and 2011 they conducted two global studies on the security of the grid, and in the most recent study, “In the Dark: Crucial Industries Confront Cyberattacks,” among the 200 CIP executives surveyed, 32% had not adopted special security measures for smart grid controls. Also, 33% anticipated a major cybersecurity incident within 12 months. Over all from the report they concluded that the energy sector was not adequately prepared for cyberattacks.

“The risk of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure is no longer theoretical, but building security into the grid is challenging due to the amount of legacy infrastructure and the importance of availability of service,” said Lorie Wigle, Vice President of Internet of Things Security Solutions for Intel Security. “Traditional security measures such as patching and rebooting are often inappropriate for the grid, so we set out to design something entirely different that could be non-invasive but simultaneously robust.”

* Intel recently acquired McAfee making it part of Intel Security.