Nuclear Industry’s ‘Strong Focus’ On Security Should Be Adopted By Other Sectors, Says Report

4 Oct (NucNet) The nuclear industry’s focus on continuously improving nuclear security practices, in part via peer reviews and training programmes carried out by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the World Institute for Nuclear Security, could be adopted by other energy sectors, a report on cyber security by the World Energy Council says. The report says the nuclear sector’s “strong focus” on security has extended into cybersecurity. At the 2016 Nuclear Industry Summit in Washington, a working group of civilian nuclear energy companies released recommendations that associations such as the World Association of Nuclear Operators (Wano) establish regular discussions on cybersecurity issues and share good practices and cyber risk reduction strategies. The working group also recommended that the nuclear industry collaborate further with the IAEA to develop more “cyber-focused” guidelines and training for the nuclear industry. Companies are increasingly recognising cyber as a core risk, but there is insufficient information sharing among energy industry members and across sectors on cyber experiences, the report says. Cyber insurance is one mechanism to help offset potential financial losses from a cyber-attack. However, the insurance industry must continue to develop instruments to address the potentially catastrophic losses and the complexity of cyber risk. The report says cyber risks present “a unique concern” in the energy sector because an attack on energy infrastructure, including a nuclear station, has the potential to cause a massive operational failure of an energy asset. An attack on nuclear plant equipment could lead to a core meltdown and dispersal of radioactivity. In 2015, Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Company suffered a series of attacks aimed at causing nuclear reactors to malfunction. The attacks only succeeded in leaking non-classified documents. The report is online: http://bit.ly/2dt5RKR