Protecting the U.S. energy grid from cyberattack requires the migration to cutting-edge technological tools such as dark fiber and quantum computing, according to experts who spoke at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee hearing on Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Richard Raines, director of the Electrical and Electronics Systems Research Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, darknet systems rely on unused fiber optic cables to keep the communications of a particular electronic system off the public internet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDarknet is not just about moving the grid\u2019s command and control functions off the public internet unused fiber that we have, but it\u2019s about creating and leveraging a holistic toolkit of capabilities to make it harder for an adversary to exploit out systems,\u201d said Raines, explaining that the grid could take advantage of existing but unused fiber to establish a darknet. \u201cWorking with our private and public partners, we envision darknet as a highly secure, resilient, and redundant communications sensing and technical assistance solution supporting all elements of the electric enterprise and its supply chain.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Quantum computing relies on the laws of quantum mechanics, in which particles take on more than one state at a time and interact with other far away particles, to process information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cQuantum technology uses the laws of quantum physics to generate keys that cannot be cracked. The keys are transmitted as light to optical fibers on devices in the field,\u201d said Duncan Earl, president and chief technology officer at Qubitekk, Inc. \u201cQuantum technology enables communications that cannot be intercepted or altered. Any attempt to do so can be immediately attempted and thwarted.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Earl, both quantum computing and darknet could be implemented at the same time to protect electric grid systems, but widespread adoption of these technologies will require government investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is a question of funding. The CEDS [Cybersecurity for Energy Delivery Systems] program within [the Department of Energy] is doing a great job, but they don\u2019t really have a large enough budget to take on darknet yet. From my perspective, I think that increasing the funding to that program is an excellent thing to do right away,\u201d said Earl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo one thing we could do is we could immediately appropriate the dollars to immediately begin putting in a darknet for everybody who\u2019s connected to the grid,\u201d said Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, both Earl and Raines warned that, though tests of these technologies are already taking place on smaller electric grids, it could be five to 10 years before they would be fully mature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTo speed the adoption of this technology though will require government action,\u201d said Earl, adding that China, the EU, Australia and Canada are already experimenting with quantum computing technology. \u201cWe\u2019re probably fourth or fifth on that list.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI do believe that the Department of Energy, the Department of Homeland Security and others are taking leadership within the bounds of what we are able to accomplish, what we understand that we should do,\u201d said Zachary Tudor, associate laboratory director for national and homeland security at the Idaho National Laboratory. \u201cBut I also think that leadership understands that we can do more.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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