Protecting electricity networks against cyber attacks

Electricity networks will face critical challenges as plant and equipment become increasingly interconnected, particularly with maintaining their operational integrity. A key objective is to protect themselves against disruptive attacks from internal and external sources.

At the Engineers Australia Future Tech Forum, strategic management consultant Graeme Couch will outline key lessons for engineers dealing with changing technology environments. His motto is: ‘Never be satisfied — hostility and change will ultimately outwit complacency’.

Drawing on his background as a systems engineer, Couch will highlight developments that networked businesses are undergoing and will outline information technology and business architecture implications. The transformations currently taking place are going to make network industries particularly vulnerable to cyber attacks and other intrusions.

Couch explained: “Systems engineers and IT managers realise that increasingly their role is not just in the back office, as it has been in the past. Their roles are becoming front and centre and a core part of the business.”

Information is now as important as brands and equipment and it is indeed the new infrastructure. The integrity of that infrastructure is critical for businesses.

The inaugural Engineers Australia Future Tech Forum is a component of this year’s ACI Connect conference program. It will be held in Sydney on Thursday 13 August, and will offer an insight into the future of the industry. More information can be found at www.aciconnect.com.au.

Source: Engineers Australia