The risk of a cyber attack

 The risk of a cyber attack against electricity and gas services in Latin America is significant. According to a 2016 security article, “In Latin America and the Caribbean, cyber attacks on power plants can become the most serious threat to any country, due to the impact on the population and the physical destruction of structures in a extremely wide area ”. In addition, Latin American electricity and gas companies face an extraordinary challenge due to the mixed control between public and private entities for the generation, transmission and distribution of energy1 .

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We see three characteristics that make the industry particularly vulnerable to cyber threats. First, there are an increasing number of threats faced by public service concessionaires: from actors of the nation-state type in search of causing economic and security breakdowns to cyber criminals who understand the economic value represented by this sector. Second is the broad and growing footprint of utilities, due to geographic and organizational complexity, which includes the decentralized nature of leadership in cybersecurity. Third, the specific interdependencies of the electricity and gas sector between physical and cyber infrastructure make companies vulnerable to exploitation, including physical destruction.

The examples below illustrate the threat of cyber attacks on key infrastructure companies in Latin America:

In June 2020, an electric company based in Brazil was targeted by ransomware by hackers. The company did not disclose the details of the attack, but the attackers demanded a $ 14 million ransom.two .

In late April 2020, a Brazilian electricity company was hit by a cyber attack that took many services offline for several days. Customers were only able to access customer service through a call center and the WhatsApp platform.

In 2017, a Latin American oil company would have been affected by the WannaCry ransomware attack. The company would have disconnected systems from the Internet to prevent the spread of ransomware3 .

To meet these challenges, we apply our work in more advanced cyber sectors (such as banks and national security) and our practical international experience with dealerships

Strategic information about threats and actors before attacks on the network. Companies must implement a forward-looking security approach that integrates the security function with crucial decisions about corporate expansion and the corresponding increase in infrastructure and geographic complexity.

Programs to reduce geographical and operational gaps in terms of awareness and communication, creating a culture of safety. A highly functional dealership security apparatus must be aligned to ensure that the company's best minds - not just security - are aware of threats and have robust processes for disclosing potential vulnerabilities and emerging incidents.