UPDATED 23:39 EST / JULY 19 2017

CLOUD

Microsoft beefs up electrical grid security with new cyberanalytics service

Microsoft Corp. is attempting to ward off cyberattacks on utilities with the launch of a new Azure Cyber Analytics program for electrical grid companies.

The new Microsoft Azure Certified Elite Partner Program for Cyber Analytics in Power and Utilities comes bundled with the company’s Operations Management Suite, which is Microsoft’s primary cloud-based information technology and security management product.

“The program is designed to engage Azure Certified Elite System Integrators to perform the OMS Service integration for utility customers enrolled in the program,” Larry Cochrane, principal program manager of the energy division at Microsoft Azure, said in an announcement. “What this means to the utilities industry is customers can better track threat actors currently in their network, identify malicious software dialing outbound from their servers, and establish an alerting system to enable active network cyber defense.”

The system relies on the Log Analytics Service feature of OMS, and collects data from customer’s logs before analyzing it for any signs of suspicious activity that could indicate a network has been compromised. The program also applies threat intelligence from Microsoft’s analysis of its own data centers and networks so it can quickly work out where attacks are coming from and how best to defend against them.

Cochrane added that customers who sign up for the program will also be given a limited Azure cloud subscription, which they can use for training and development purposes and for expediting the implementation and deployment of new projects.

Cyberattacks on utilities companies can inflict some serious damage. Back in December 2015, hackers managed to infiltrate the networks of three energy distribution companies in Ukraine before switching off 30 electrical substations at once, leaving about 230,000 people with no electricity for several hours. A report co-authored by the SANS Institute and the Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center later found that the attackers had managed to access the electrical grid’s systems months before the attack took place, meaning the attack could probably have been prevented if adequate monitoring systems were in place.

Microsoft said the new Azure Cyber Analytics Program for electrical grid customers is currently only available for customers in the U.S., though it will be rolled out globally soon.

Image: tookapic/pixabay

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