U.S. Energy, Homeland Security, Defense Departments to partner on initiative to protect energy infrastructure from cyberthreats
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on a new initiative to help protect critical energy infrastructure from cybersecurity threats.
The Energy Sector Pathfinder initiative aims to advance information sharing, enhance training and education to understand risks and develop joint operational preparedness and response activities to cybersecurity threats.
The new initiative builds on earlier Pathfinder initiatives across government and the private sector. The Pathfinder program is an exploratory program that aims to address the technologies, challenges, and threats facing critical infrastructure sectors. The Energy Sector Pathfinder initiative will examine challenges facing the nation’s energy critical infrastructure and enhance interagency collaboration related to preventing and responding to cyber threats.
“Through this agreement, we will strengthen the partnership between DOE, DHS, and DoD to enable intergovernmental cooperation and bolster our ability to proactively address cyber threats to critical energy infrastructure, and to respond effectively should those threats materialize,” DOE Assistant Secretary of Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency Response Karen S. Evans said. “The Department of Energy is committed to working with our partner agencies to secure U.S. critical energy infrastructure.”
