Vulnerability of power system to cyberattacks

Electricity significantly determines the possibility of development of technical civilisation, both on a global and local scale. The availability of energy determines the diversity of civilisational development of communities inhabiting particular areas of the earth. The Internet, in turn, as a tool conducive to the human species, induces many opportunities while simultaneously generating threats. The Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems used in the power industry are key elements in the operation of industrial facilities and critical infrastructure, while also being vulnerable to cyberattacks. Successful cyberattacks can cripple internal processes, cause financial losses and potentially lead to unwanted block-outs.