Dive Brief:

• While utilities profess to view safety as a top priority, just 65% have cybersecurity programs, a survey by consulting firm Black & Veatch reveals.
• The survey, released Wednesday, showed that many utilities have no plans to adopt computer security measures. One quarter of utilities with more than 1 million customers have no cybersecurity programs, the survey found. Moreover, 66% of utilities with fewer than 100,000 customers had no program to guard against hackers and 44% do not plan to implement one.

 Dive Insight:

The Department of Homeland Security says that energy companies face more cyberattacks than any other industry. The survey responses illustrate a disconnect between utilities' desire for physical security and their understanding of risks poised by increased use of automated systems. “This level of automation helps drive efficiency, but it is important to recognize that each connected device also becomes a network access point subject to attack by hackers,” said Black & Veatch.