Cybersecurity Group strengthens cooperation amid cyber-attack risks posing the highest threat to energy system security

On 17 July 2020, as many as 40 participants joined the virtual meeting of the Energy Community Cybersecurity Coordination Group. The overall messages were clear: the Covid-19 pandemic proved that energy system digitalization must be cyber-secure by all means and cyberattacks currently pose the highest risk for energy system security. Enhanced cooperation at the level of the Energy Community could help tackle cybersecurity incidents and threats more effectively.

The meeting focused on the ongoing developments in the cybersecurity environment and crisis management at the European level. The European Commission presented its Staff Working Document on good practices in crisis management, including cyber, and its draft Cybersecurity Network Code, expected by the end of 2020 and later to be followed by updates of the related Directives.

A feature topic was the establishment of an Energy Community Information Sharing and Analysis Centres (ISACs), based on a White Paper prepared by the Secretariat.  The Cyber Group also agreed to update information on critical energy infrastructure covered by the 2019 Cybersecurity Study and get engaged in the development of guidelines for the (early) implementation of cybersecurity acquis and technical standards in the Energy Community.