Texas RE Analyst Urges ‘Extravagant’ Utility Cyber Plans

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In a recent webinar, Chris Mejia, a cybersecurity analyst with the Texas Reliability Entity, emphasized the importance of having robust cybersecurity incident response plans for utilities. He urged that these plans should be as comprehensive as possible to effectively handle potential cyber threats. Mejia discussed the reliability standard CIP-003-8, which outlines mandatory requirements for security plans related to low-impact cyber assets, including cybersecurity awareness, physical security controls, electronic access controls, incident response planning, and risk mitigation for transient cyber assets.

Mejia highlighted that while the standard sets minimum compliance targets, utilities should strive to exceed these requirements to enhance their security posture. He suggested that organizations utilize various methods to communicate cybersecurity best practices to staff, ensuring that awareness efforts are not merely perfunctory. Additionally, he noted the necessity of continuous testing of physical security measures and the implementation of layered security strategies. Mejia also reminded attendees of the upcoming CIP-003-9 standard, which will introduce new requirements for vendor electronic remote access security controls, set to take effect on April 1, 2026.