Data security solutions for critical infrastructure
Securing critical infrastructure while enabling innovation, transformation and resiliency
Technological innovation is driving the next generation of critical infrastructure, allowing enterprises to improve service, optimise operations and ultimately deliver better value to stakeholders. Utilities and energy providers gather and communicate valuable information in real time using IoT-enabled sensors, use Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to power better decision-making and ultimately deploy next-generation infrastructure like “Smart Grids”.
But hacker groups increasingly target weak links in the complex Hybrid IT and OT infrastructure to disrupt operations. In 2021, cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure organisations in the US alone have increased by 300%, presenting a clear and present danger to the transformation that is essential to their future.
How can you reduce the risk of attacks such as ransomware and malware?
2024 Thales Data Threat Report
Critical Infrastructure Edition
Download the Critical Infrastructure Edition and read more about
Navigating New Threats and Overcoming Old Challenges in this Industry
How Thales can help
Accelerate digital transformation
Offer better services by adopting innovations faster with a framework for a zero-trust world
Increase resilience and efficiency
Automate and streamline data protection and access management across hybrid IT and OT infrastructure
Reduce risk and complexity
Simplify compliance and minimise reputational risk with centralised data security governance
Securing critical infrastructure while enabling innovation, transformation and resiliency – eBook
The growth of cyber incidents is challenging the transformation that is essential to the future of utilities and energy providers. Thales enables critical infrastructure security while enabling innovation, transformation and increased resiliency.
Read more about securing critical infrastructureAccelerate cloud migration and compliance with CipherTrust Platform
Accelerate time to compliance by centralising data discovery, classification, data protection and unprecedented granular access controls with centralised key management – all on a single platform. Apply policy-based data and access security to protect Personal Health Information (PHI) based on specific regulation requirements such as NERC, FERC, ISO 27799:2016, GDPR and more.
“CipherTrust Data Security Platform provided a secure path to cloud migration with minimum disruption for even the most sensitive data for this global energy provider.”
Global Energy Leader Secures High Value Data in the Cloud with Thales CipherTrust Platform
A highly regulated global energy company with operations in multiple countries needed to protect high-value data across multiple platforms. The organization was concurrently migrating most of its data centers to the cloud. The company had hundreds of Microsoft Azure subscriptions, and each used several key vaults, increasing the complexity for managing keys. The customer wanted a vendor-agnostic solution able to centrally manage and store keys on premises for multi-cloud deployments leveraging the bring your own key (BYOK) model.
Improve resilience by using HSMs to protect Internet of Things (IoT), digital signatures and certificates
Critical infrastructure providers are embracing new connected technologies such as connected sensors, cameras, drones and other IoT devices. When implemented with the proper level of security these innovations can provide better customer experience, resilience and lower cost.
Thales Helps a Major European Energy Utility Securely Transition to Smart Meters Country-Wide
A major European energy utility was transitioning most of the country’s subscribers to connected smart meters. This highly regulated utility needed to comply with strict department of energy requirements for cybersecurity and data privacy from the product design phase through implementation and systems management. The organization required a strong, reliable, and scalable security infrastructure that would support mandated cryptographic algorithms based on a FIPS 140-2 Level 3 root of trust.
Centralise secure access to all platforms with access management and advanced authentication
Simplify user access to cloud services, streamline cloud identity management and eliminate password hassles for IT and users, while providing a single pane view of access events across your app estate to ensure that the right user has access to the right application at the right level of trust.
“A major UK energy utility achieved audit compliance and improved overall resilience of energy infrastructure by using Thales solutions to protect smart meter connections and sensitive data for millions of homes and businesses.”
Thales SafeNet Trusted Access Helps a Clean Energy Provider Comply with Digital Security Regulations
A North American clean energy provider with major corporate customers needed an access management solution to protect its network of on-site fuel cell production facilities. As an energy utility, it needed to comply with cybersecurity mandates from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). The organization required a scalable, flexible, resilient multi-factor authentication (MFA) solution to protect access to distributed facilities.
Protect sensitive data in motion with end-to-end security and high performance
Protect data in motion with solutions that provide customers with a single platform to encrypt everywhere – from network traffic between data centres and the headquarters to backup and disaster recovery sites, whether on premises or in the cloud.
“A large clean energy provider in the US achieved successful protection of critical energy production systems and compliance with energy industry regulations, with Thales centralised authentication and access management.”
Energy Operator Protects Critical Infrastructure Using High Speed Encryptors from Thales
A major UK energy company needed to connect to other electricity providers via the National Grid Network. Data within the energy network is of critical national importance so security mandates stipulate that the highest levels of security must be deployed. The prominent energy company needed a robust, dedicated encryption solution to secure their data in motion and allow it to access the National Grid Network, covering the great majority of Great Britain.
“Thales high speed encryption appliances protected communication throughout the network, providing optimal security, speed and compliance for this major European energy provider.”
Protecting Critical National Infrastructure Data Networks
Critical National Infrastructure may be defined as “those facilities, systems, sites and networks necessary for the functioning of the country and the delivery of the essential services upon which daily life depends”.
Related blog post
Data encryption shields the energy sector against emerging threats
The energy sector is part of the critical national infrastructure (CNI) and delivers services that are essential for modern life. According to the EU NIS Directive, these entities are Operators of Essential Services (OES) and their reliability and ability to meet consumers’ demands at all times is of national interest. The reliability of their services can be impaired by cyberattacks on the IT and operational technology (OT) systems that support their operations. Cyberattacks could result in widespread loss of services causing large-scale blackouts, disruptions in business operations and even deaths.
Related resources
Securing the Smart Grid with HSMs
The smart grid is a major effort to modernize an energy infrastructure that remained largely unchanged over the past several decades. The smart grid creates a network of links between customers and utility companies that provides increased insight into and management of energy consumption, cost, and workload across the entire energy grid. At a time when energy utilities play an increasingly important part of our everyday lives, smart grid technologies introduce new security challenges that must be addressed as part of the transformation.
Thales Helps a Canadian Energy Utility Secure Smart Meters, Increase Resilience, and Reduce Costs
A Canadian energy utility was transitioning from analog to connected digital smart meters to improve service and resilience, and to reduce costs for over two million customers. This highly regulated utility needed to comply with strict privacy and resilience regulations. The digital security solution had to be compatible with Cisco Field Network Director (FND) to support both 75% of “terrestrial” installations and 25% “satellite” installations.
2022 Thales Data Threat Report - Critical Infrastructure Edition
The effects of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure are not only inconvenient, but they can also be life-threatening. The 2022 Thales Data Threat Report Critical Infrastructure Edition summarizes the most important findings gathered from a survey of leaders and practitioners within critical infrastructure organizations and concludes with thoughts on reducing the risk of attacks such as ransomware and malware.
Keeping our Critical National Infrastructures Secure
Join us to explore how encryption is a key element in ensuring the security of SCADA networks and how it needs to deliver against four criteria: Speed, Scalability, Manageability and Affordability to be most effective. We will look at traditional SCADA network provision, the evolving need to secure IoT connected devices, identify network vulnerabilities and discover the benefits of High-Assurance and Network Independent Encryption.