Fluent Essays

instructionJournal Article AssignmentPurpose: To engage you in original research on a tech topic to practice the writing skills of idea generation, development, and synthesis.Audience: General reader without expertise in technical feature but with a working knowledge of using technology in daily life.Scope: 1,000 words, minimumSources: three in-text citations, minimumDocumentation and formatting: APA style with abstract and referencesRubric will be posted on BlackboardI will attach you the essay and the rough draft guide below journal_article_draft.edited.docx Unformatted Attachment Preview Running head: JOURNAL ARTICLE DRAFT 1 Journal Article Draft Introduction The electric grid, specifically in North America, has become a significant target for cybersecurity attacks. The critical importance of this infrastructure in a nation has made it a prime target for cyber-attacks. A report by Dragos, Inc. (2020) indicates that similar to attacks launched on other critical infrastructure in a bid to further the goals of an adversary either politically, economically, or criminally, attacks on the electric grid have become prevalent and devastating. Nations need to be aware of these threats to take the precautions necessary to safeguard their interests from malicious parties. Further, as perpetrators of these malicious acts and their sponsors direct more money and time resources to these efforts to carry out destructive or disruptive attacks targeted on the electric grid, it is essential that would be affected parties take their precautions and deal with the challenge. With Attackers Increase Focus on North American Electric Utilities: Report, as indicated by Robert Lemos article, caution is necessary. The item will address the cyber-attack challenge faced in North America, specifically targeting the electric grid, the source of the vulnerabilities, and how to deal with them. The Electric grid Its importance in the nation JOURNAL ARTICLE DRAFT 2 The electric grid is a very critical asset in a country. It supplies energy to almost to the country, making it a very crucial infrastructure and one that attracts numerous threats (Qin, Liand Chuah, 2012). The source of vulnerabilities The electric grid has many factors that make it vulnerable to cyber-attacks. First, the electrical grid is made up of companies that engage in the generation, transmission as well as the distribution of electricity. The fragmented supply chain, as well as the presence of third-parties, compromises the system making it vulnerable to cyber-attacks (Lemos, 2020). The system is also very vulnerable because of its overreliance on ICT infrastructure. Scholars Nagarjuna, Alves-Foss, and Song (2018) highlight how power grids are going through their most considerable transformation technologically as such upgrades such as Phasor Measurement Units are adopted. However, although these upgrades make the systems more reliable with their provision of real-time data, they also make the system vulnerable to threats. Rising tensions between North America and nations such as Iran in the Middle East place these systems in the crossfire of attacks. Lemos (2020) quotes a report by Dragos, which shows that there have been increased activities among several groups that are being monitored concerning cyber-attack on the electric grid. The information indicates that these companies are engaged in early reconnaissance activities as they prepare for their attack efforts against the nation. Further, a connection has been established between this group and a cyber-espionage group that is sponsored by the government of Iran. Cyber-attacks targeting the grid The attackers JOURNAL ARTICLE DRAFT 3 The main attackers of the electric grid are malicious parties and their sponsors. The report by Dragos indicates that there are approximately 7groups that they are tracking that have shown interest in attacking and compromising the electric utilities of the nation from the 11 they monitor. The intelligence analysis director at Dragos Amy Bejtlich asserts that in recent times, cyber-security attackers targeting the grid have been engaged in more activity, are targeted in their efforts, and illustrated a growing sophistication in their skills. Their recognition of the value that comes in targeting the electric grid, which is part of the industrial environment, propels their effort. Further, in order for these parties to carry out such an attack, there is increased interest in attaining facilitation for such attacks. (Lemos, 2020) The impact of such attacks Attacks on the electric grid system have the potential of crippling a region. Lemos (2020) reports that in the past, adversaries have launched attacks on the electrical grid through cyber-attacks and significantly disrupted activities. Although this is yet to happen in North America, the adversaries have demonstrated their ability through their knowledge of target infrastructure and the application of specialized malware to disrupt the electric operation. A case in reference is the cyber-attack in the nation of Ukraine in December 2015, which disrupted power distribution capabilities causing a blackout that lasted for an hour. Proposed ways to deal with the attacks Suggested methods of dealing with the danger of cyber-attacks on the electric grid system include vigilance. The intelligence analysis director at Dragos Amy Bejtlich argues that JOURNAL ARTICLE DRAFT defenders in North America need to have a high level of awareness on the activities across different sectors so that they can take action. Conclusion The critical importance of the electric grid has made it a significant target for cybersecurity attacks. Identifying the attackers, sources of vulnerabilities, and the possible measures could significantly deal with the challenge. 4 JOURNAL ARTICLE DRAFT 5 References Dragos, Inc. (2020). The State of Threats to Electric Entities in North America. Retrieved from https://dragos.com/blog/industry-news/the-state-of-threats-to-electric-entities-in-northamerica/ Lemos, R. (2020). Attackers Increase Focus on North American Electric Utilities: Report. Retrieved from https://www.darkreading.com/iot/attackers-increase-focus-on-north- american-electric-utilities-report/d/d-id/1336772 Qin, Z., Li, Q. and Chuah, M. (2012). Unidentifiable Attacks in Electric Power Systems, ICCPS 12: Proceedings of the 2012 IEEE/ACM Third International Conference on CyberPhysical Systems, pp193–202 https://doi.org/10.1109/ICCPS.2012. Retrieved from https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1109/ICCPS.2012.27 ... 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