Dive Brief:

• Many of Connecticut's utilities have been breached by cyberattacks, according to a new report produced by the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (CPURA).
• The report did not say how many attacks there have been, but did say there were no blackouts as a result.
• The implementation of smart grid has made the power grid more vulnerable to attacks, the report said.

Dive Insight:

Cybersecurity threats are “active, dangerous and widespread,” and there is no option but to bring in protective measures, said CPURA Chairman Arthur H. House. The report pinpointed contact between utilities and their customers as a key area that must be protected against cybersecurity threats.

There is no mandatory federal standard for cybersecurity today. Utilities are no doubt wary of new regulations that could give regulators control of their operations. The report recommends an independent auditor assess cybersecurity vulnerabilities, but it doesn’t address the question of what standards utilities should be held to or who will develop those standards.