The European Network for Cyber Security (ENCS), the Association of European Distribution System Operators (E.DSO), and the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E), have hosted a virtual event on data sharing under the NIS Directive, Cybersecurity Act and Network Code Cybersecurity. More than 200 joined.
The event was the second part of a two-day series, after the first on October 7. Part one heard of the need for harmonisation across scoping for Information Security Management Systems, security measures and knowledge sharing, to head off cyber threats. The second event noted the European Commission’s decision to put the highest priority for Network Codes in the energy domain on cybersecurity.
In the opening session, Jakub Boratyński, Acting Director in charge of Digital Society, Trust and Cybersecurity, DG Connect, at the European Commission, highlighted how DG Connect is analysing how “innovation can be further supported and expertise in the sector strengthened”.
Anjos Nijk, Managing Director, ENCS, added that “already at our first joint event we agreed on the need for collaboration and good progress was made to increase our resilience due to implementing the NIS Directive and the proactive approach by European grid operators. But security is a moving target and we have to benchmark against the progress our adversaries have made. The key question is if we want to lead or to follow. We have to change paradigms and regard security as an opportunity rather than a threat. Security comes not only with a cost, but delivers a benefit. We should seize the opportunity to invest in shared minimum security requirements and standardised testing, to put emphasis on resolving vulnerabilities next to the focus on incidents and to involve all our security talent by reducing barriers to participate.”
Steve Purser, Head of Core Operations Department at the European Union’s cybersecurity agency ENISA, expanded on the topic, speaking to “Cybersecurity capacity building in Europe”, with Jeff Montagne, Chief IT Security Officer, Enedis going into more detail on technical information sharing.
Keith Buzzard, Security Officer, ENTSO-E, gave an update on the European Network Code for Cybersecurity and the event was headlined by a panel discussion on how data sharing between different stakeholder groups should develop. The panel included Maarten Hoeve, Director Technology at ENCS, as moderator; Christiane Gabbe, Head of Security G&I at innogy/E.ON; Rémi Mayet, Head of Unit act of Energy security and safety, DG ENER, European Commission; Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe and Grzegorz Bojar, Vice-Chair of ENTSO-E Digital committee and Chief Information Officer at PSE S.A.
In closing remarks, Laurent Schmitt, Secretary General, ENTSO-E, said that: “Securing the electricity system requires to establish new collaborations across actors of the electricity value chain to introduce transverse methods and standards as defined through the new European Cybersecurity code. We are very happy the ENTSO-E EDSO ENCS webinars have become a reference platform to develop such collaboration and exchange on associated best practice.”
A recording will be available soon on www.edsoforsmartgrids.eu.
