Why State and Local Agencies Should Consider Cybersecurity in Power Management – StateTech Magazine
Digital Transformation Accelerates in Government
State and local governments across the country are actively adopting digital technologies to improve services for citizens, leading many to make the shift from a traditional centralized approach to a distributed model that leverages multiple locations to support IT requirements. Meanwhile, at many agencies, IT teams are leaner than ever, while evolving demands make it increasingly necessary for staff to respond remotely in emergency situations. Gone are the days where all IT locations had the luxury of onsite support teams.
A trend running parallel to many of these developments is the growth of the Internet of Things. According to Business Insider, the number of IoT-connected devices will grow to 41 billion by 2027, up from approximately 8 billion in 2019. As this transformation unfolds, government institutions must consider the challenge these new endpoints will present for cybersecurity and ensure they’re protected across their expanding networks.
These related trends, both of which have accelerated amid the COVID-19 pandemic, require new approaches to power management and, in the case of IoT growth, actually impact power equipment itself.
More IT teams are deploying connected power management infrastructure, such as uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs), to allow remote monitoring and management that minimizes the need for onsite support staff. While devices like UPSs may not traditionally come to mind when institutions consider potential cyberthreats, the same could have been said for devices like HVAC units or internet-connected thermometers before they became targets for major attacks.
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Tips for Protecting Your Agency’s Power Management Systems
The growing importance of cybersecurity has made it imperative for power management providers to consider cybersecurity when adding connected capabilities to power management devices. Here are a few ways state and local government IT managers can incorporate cybersecurity safeguards into their power management strategies.
- Use equipment that’s secure by design. Many of the organizations responsible for setting global security standards are expanding and redefining their processes for certifying the cybersecurity of products as it relates to backup power devices. On the market today are various UPS network management cards that comply with the latest UL 2900-1 and ISA/IEC 62443-4-2 certifications that require robust cybersecurity capabilities and features. By purchasing power management products that meet these certifications, IT teams can benefit from knowing their equipment uses the latest in encryption, certificate authority and public key infrastructure, in addition to configurable security policies.
- Level up your security solutions. Beyond protecting against ransomware attacks, state and local agencies may wish to deploy further security …….