Smart Grid Cyber Security Revenue to Reach $1.3B by 2015

For many industry and government leaders, the lure of the smart grid appears irresistible. If smart grids can realize their full potential, consumers, utilities, nations, and even the earth itself will benefit. As with nearly any new technology, the industry focus has been on getting smart grids up and running, often with little consideration for cyber security issues. However, a recent report from Pike Research finds that investment in securing the grid from malicious attacks, natural disasters, and other accidents is picking up pace. The cleantech market intelligence firm expects that smart grid cyber security spending will increase 62% between 2010 and 2011, and by 2015 the annual worldwide market spending in this critical sector will reach $1.3 billion.

“Smart grid cyber security is significantly more complex than the traditional IT security world. It is a common misperception that IT networks and industrial control systems have the same cyber security issues and can be secured with the same countermeasures. They cannot,” says senior analyst Bob Lockhart. “To successfully secure the electrical grid, utilities and their key suppliers must design solutions that effectively bridge the worlds of information and operations technology.”

Lockhart adds that effective smart grid cyber security deployments will address a wide variety of key issues:

    * Stronger identity management
    * Multi-factor authentication on powerful consoles
    * Computer incident response
    * Change management, asset management, and configuration management
    * Business continuity planning
    * Defense-in-depth for IT and ICS networks
    * Stronger security on SCADA control systems
    * More secure interfaces between IT and ICS networks
    * Video monitoring capabilities for substations and control rooms
    * End-to-end encryption of data from the home area network (HAN) to the utility central site
    * Need to prevent worms from spreading through smart meters
    * Stronger cyber security software on smart meters
    * Resiliency throughout the advanced metering infrastructure (AMI)
    * Data integrity for electric vehicle recharging transactions
    * Data privacy for electric vehicle billing data and recharging transactions
    * Security awareness education for all affected employees

Over the next few years, Pike Research anticipates that growth in the smart grid cyber security market will produce opportunities not only for hardware and software sales, but also for a number of new professional services opportunities. These service offerings will help utilities navigate the minefield of threats and challenges that pose fundamental risks to the integrity of the grid infrastructure.

Pike Research’s report, “Smart Grid Cyber Security”, examines the market issues and opportunities associated with providing secure information technology and industrial control system environments for smart grid deployments, using ISO27002:2005 and NIST 800-82 as baselines for analysis. The study includes profiles of key industry players as well as granular market forecasts, segmented by world region, smart grid application, and security risk type, through 2015. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the firm’s website.

Pike Research is a market research and consulting firm that provides in-depth analysis of global clean technology markets. The company’s research methodology combines supply-side industry analysis, end-user primary research and demand assessment, and deep examination of technology trends to provide a comprehensive view of the Smart Energy, Smart Grid, Smart Transportation, Smart Industry, and Smart Buildings sectors. For more information, visit www.pikeresearch.com