The Central Government has taken significant steps to ensure the cyber security of the power grid, including the establishment of dedicated agencies and implementation of advanced security features.
The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has been designated as the national agency for responding to cyber security incidents, while the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) has been established to protect critical information infrastructure, including the power sector.
A Sectoral Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) has been set up exclusively for the power sector, and several IT infrastructure upgrades have been performed across multiple states to improve cyber security.
Key measures include:
- Establishment of a Security Operation Centre (SOC) to monitor security events and incidents across Regional Load Despatch Centres (RLDCs) and National Load Despatch Centres (NLDC)
- Improvement of IT infrastructure with advanced security features
- Setup of a SOC in POWERGRID for 24X7 monitoring of critical assets
- Upgradation of IT infrastructure across multiple states, including the implementation of firewalls, web servers, and next-generation firewalls
- Acquisition of ISO27001 certification by 11 SLDCs
- Conducting of Vulnerability Assessment & Penetration Testing (VAPT) cyber security audits by 30 out of 35 State Load Despatch Centres
The government has also organized various workshops, trainings, awareness sessions, conferences, and cyber security exercises to spread awareness among stakeholders.
No cyber security incident has been reported that affected the operations of the Indian Power Grid. The Minister of State for Power, Shripad Yesso Naik, provided this information in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
