German Cybersecurity Agency Warns of Growing Threats to Energy Infrastructure
The head of Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), Claudia Plattner, has issued a warning about the increasing threat of cyber attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure. Plattner emphasized the need for improved IT security measures to protect power plants, grids and private households from cyber attacks.
Germany, in the past, has experienced sophisticated attacks on IT service providers, which were “carefully planned and had complex strategies” according to Plattner. The BSI president highlighted the decentralization of the energy sector in Germany, with smaller power plants and wind parks emerging, which, in many cases, have weaker defenses against external threats compared to larger power plant operators.
Furthermore, the energy sector is becoming increasingly digital and it is crucial to protect this modernization, Plattner said. While the German power grid is currently considered safe and stable, with extensive security measures and redundancies in place, the BSI president emphasized the need for continued investment in IT security.
“Protecting critical infrastructure is better than it was a few years ago, but we still need to invest more in IT security” Plattner stated, calling for the state to ensure that power suppliers and grid operators, as well as private households, can protect themselves against cyber attacks.