Improving Reliability through Cybersecurity
No utility, no matter how small, is immune from cyber threats, and the MRES Cybersecurity Services program provides a practical, hands-on approach to assist the growing cybersecurity needs of our members.
Utilities are dedicated to providing dependable and uninterrupted services to their customers, which means cyberattacks that result in power outages or business interruptions must be avoided to provide reliable service and maintain customer trust. Today, utilities are modernizing and engaging with their customers through various electronic means, and cybersecurity must also innovate and change with this digital transformation.
In response to this critical, growing need, MRES developed its Cybersecurity Services program to help the member identify cybersecurity risks, determine costs, and establish steps to mitigate them. The program provides an independent technical opinion that MRES members can trust, as well as ongoing collaboration from MRES staff to ensure member goals are met.
The MRES Cybersecurity Services program is customizable and driven by individual member needs. Two service options are available, both at a discounted rate.
Option 1: Cybersecurity assessment
MRES staff provides a cybersecurity assessment, where they guide an interested member in identifying cybersecurity risks and assist in determining the steps to mitigate them. The assessment’s total cost is based on the quantity of connected devices and technological complexity.
Through this option, MRES staff would work with the utility to perform the following tasks:
- Industry-recognized control assessments
- Ransomware readiness assessment
- Budget review
- Architecture review
- Vulnerability scan (internal/external)
- Phishing exercise
- Firewall configuration review
- Incident response exercise and example plan
- Risk prioritization with budget estimates
- Cybersecurity policies review and examples
Option 2: Trusted advisor
MRES serves as a “Trusted Advisor” and tailors a cybersecurity program to a member’s needs. This option is billed hourly. Services could include:
- Cybersecurity system change review and consulting
- Hardware or software vendor solution reviews
- Advisor for cybersecurity program and policy creation
Click here to view and/or download the Cybersecurity Services brochure for more information.