Industrial Sector

Electrical

The Electrical sector covers high-voltage transmission, medium and low-voltage distribution, substation automation, switchyard operations, and grid management infrastructure. These systems form the backbone of national power delivery, and their compromise can trigger widespread blackouts, equipment destruction, and cascading failures across interconnected grids. Modern substations increasingly rely on IEC 61850 communication protocols, intelligent electronic devices (IEDs), and remote terminal units (RTUs) connected through wide-area networks. The 2015 and 2016 Ukraine grid attacks demonstrated that adversaries can and will target electrical infrastructure to achieve large-scale disruption.

Specialized Protection

Securing Electrical Infrastructure

Purpose-built OT cybersecurity strategies designed for the unique systems, protocols, and safety requirements of electrical operations.

OT Environment

Industrial Control Systems in Electrical

Understanding the specific OT environment of each sector is essential to effective security. The systems, protocols, and operational constraints vary significantly across industrial verticals.

Energy Management Systems (EMS)

SCADA for grid operations

Substation automation systems (IEC 61850)

Protection and control relays (IEDs)

Remote Terminal Units (RTUs)

Power quality monitoring systems

Automatic Generation Control (AGC)

Wide Area Monitoring Systems (WAMS)

Key Challenges

Cybersecurity Challenges in This Sector

Substations deployed across vast geographic areas with limited physical security and remote connectivity

Legacy protection relays and RTUs predating any cybersecurity design considerations

IEC 61850 GOOSE messaging operating at Layer 2 with no native authentication or encryption

Grid-connected infrastructure classified as critical national infrastructure, attracting state-sponsored threats

Real-time protection and control functions where even milliseconds of latency can cause misoperation

Compliance with evolving regulations including NERC CIP, NIS2, and regional grid security codes

Our Approach

How Beacon Security Works in Electrical

Beacon Security brings specialized expertise in substation automation, transmission SCADA, and grid operations security. We assess the cyber resilience of substations by evaluating IEC 61850 network architecture, IED configurations, RTU access controls, and the communication links between substations and control centers. For transmission and distribution operators, we map data flows across the EMS, identify unauthorized cross-zone communication paths, and evaluate the security of wide-area monitoring and automatic generation control systems. Our approach accounts for the strict latency requirements of protection functions and designs security controls that operate within those constraints. We deliver actionable recommendations that grid operators can implement during planned maintenance windows without compromising grid reliability.

IEC 62443

IEC 62351

NERC CIP

NIST CSF

NIS2

IEEE 1686

Aligned with international OT security standards

Applicable Services

Services for Electrical

ICS/OT Cybersecurity Design ICS/OT Cybersecurity Assessment ICS/OT Cybersecurity Implementation ICS/OT Product Security ICS/OT SOC Deployment ICS/OT Security Training

Secure Your Electrical Operations

Discuss your specific OT environment with our team and get a scoped engagement proposal tailored to your sector and systems.

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