Cybersecurity: Retaining the Power

The nuclear industry has long been aware of the importance of cybersecurity and the potential risks of a cyberattack to the safety, security and emergency response of nuclear plants. As the cyber threat landscape has grown over the past two decades, plant operators have been quietly, but steadily, improving their ability to prevent, detect, and mitigate the effects of such an attack. Under the U.S. regulatory structure, for example, a critical component of the design basis is that a nuclear licensee's physical protection program must include a high level of assurance against a cyberattack. In the wake of the 11 September 2001 attacks, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) orders requiring licensees to address cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Other countries, such as the United Kingdom, also require nuclear licensees to protect their facilities from a cyberattack.