DOE hosting simulated cyberattack for students | CyberScoop<\/title> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/doe-hosting-simulated-cyberattack-for-students\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"DOE hosting simulated cyberattack for students\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response hosting a competition scenario \u201cfocused on hardening and defending a distributed energy resources management company,\u201d DOE official says.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/doe-hosting-simulated-cyberattack-for-students\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-11-03T20:21:06+00:00\"> <meta name=\"author\" content=\"mbracken\"> <meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\"> <meta 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class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"26.673076923077\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"33.360655737705\">\n<ul class=\"single-article__eyebrow\">\n<li class=\"single-article__category\"> <a class=\"single-article__category-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/news\/cybersecurity\/\"> <span>Cybersecurity<\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response hosting a competition scenario \u201cfocused on hardening and defending a distributed energy resources management company,\u201d DOE official says. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/doe-hosting-simulated-cyberattack-for-students.jpg?resize=640%2C399&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/doe-hosting-simulated-cyberattack-for-students-1.jpg 5810w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/doe-hosting-simulated-cyberattack-for-students-1.jpg?resize=300,187 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/doe-hosting-simulated-cyberattack-for-students-1.jpg?resize=768,478 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/doe-hosting-simulated-cyberattack-for-students-1.jpg?resize=1024,638 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/doe-hosting-simulated-cyberattack-for-students-1.jpg?resize=1536,957 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/doe-hosting-simulated-cyberattack-for-students-1.jpg?resize=2048,1276 2048w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/doe-hosting-simulated-cyberattack-for-students-1.jpg?resize=600,374 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/doe-hosting-simulated-cyberattack-for-students-1.jpg?resize=270,168 270w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/doe-hosting-simulated-cyberattack-for-students-1.jpg?resize=541,337 541w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/doe-hosting-simulated-cyberattack-for-students-1.jpg?resize=1084,675 1084w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/doe-hosting-simulated-cyberattack-for-students-1.jpg?resize=1353,843 1353w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1084px) 100vw, 1084px\"><figcaption> Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm holds a news conference at the DOE headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 13, 2022. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla\/Getty Images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"49.236948195928\"><body readability=\"99.54630954815\"><\/p>\n<p>More than 100 teams of students from around the country on Saturday are taking on the role of an energy company defending itself from cyberattacks, part of a broader effort to keep up with quickly changing workforce needs.<\/p>\n<p>The Department of Energy\u2019s Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) and the Argonne National Laboratory are hosting the ninth <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberforce.energy.gov\/cyberforce-competition\/scenario\/\">CyberForce Competition<\/a>. The exercise will put students in the role of managing a quickly growing market in distributed energy resources (DER), such as a type of small-scale energy like rooftop solar panels or electric vehicle chargers, where the generation and consumption of electricity is close to its use.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis year\u2019s competition scenario is focused on hardening and defending a distributed energy resources management company,\u201d said Mara Winn, deputy director of preparedness, policy, and risk analysis at CESER. \u201cStudents will be playing the technical role in a DER management company that is responsible for communications between the local customer and the energy provider.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>DERs are a keystone in the Biden administration\u2019s effort to transition the nation\u2019s power grid to clean energy, and billions of dollars have been invested into the technology. Last month, the administration announced a $3.5 billion investment into clean energy systems \u2014 the largest ever, according to DOE Secretary Jennifer Granholm \u2014 in an effort to improve the resiliency of technology like DERs, among others.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cWe know that there are about 90 gigawatts of distributed energy resources installed in the U.S. today, half of which are rooftop solar, which is over 3 million systems. But by 2025, it\u2019s predicted to quadruple to approximately 380 gigawatts,\u201d Winn said. A single gigawatt would power roughly 100 million LED light bulbs, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/eere\/articles\/how-much-power-1-gigawatt\">according to DOE<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The competition, which started in 2016, is aimed at giving students a hands-on, worst-case scenario that some might face in the coming years. \u201cThese scenarios are done to represent the real world, but also make sure that students can see themselves working on a day-to-day basis in this world,\u201d Winn said.<\/p>\n<p>Reports from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dni.gov\/files\/ODNI\/documents\/assessments\/ATA-2023-Unclassified-Report.pdf\">Office of the Director of National Intelligence<\/a> have pointed to threats posed by both China and Russia against critical infrastructure like the energy sectors. The Biden administration has also made securing the clean energy transition a priority in the National Cybersecurity Strategy, which calls on the development of the new tech to be secure-by-design using the <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/secure-by-design-cyber-informed-engineering\/\">cyber-informed engineering strategy<\/a> developed by DOE.<\/p>\n<p>DOE released a report on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2022-10\/Cybersecurity%20Considerations%20for%20Distributed%20Energy%20Resources%20on%20the%20U.S.%20Electric%20Grid.pdf\">threats to DERs<\/a> in 2022 that noted a key challenge to protecting these types of technologies: utilities often don\u2019t operate them. Many players in the broader DER industry are not a part of the \u201chistorical partnerships\u201d and might not have the muscle memory for ensuring vital services are resilient. The report said that \u201cresponsibility needs to be established for this emerging industry.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The concern is that while these new types of technologies are being developed and deployed, new DER players are also able to tackle the complex challenges of protecting critical networks from cyberattacks, particularly as they become increasingly embedded into the electric grid. These digitally native systems are also creating new vectors of attack if not properly defended.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cThey might see themselves as a small entity, but they\u2019re an access point now integrated into this greater energy system,\u201d Winn said.<\/p>\n<p>The CyberForce competition is different from most capture the flags, where usually the most technically adept team wins. Instead, the students on the blue team are scored not only on how many attacks they repel, but also on the usability of the system facing attacks by the red team. For example, can a user still check their electric bill during the middle of an attack?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe student teams must integrate, maintain and secure their internal management systems and industrial control systems for their customers while providing seamless energy buyback and credit systems for the local grid company,\u201d Winn said. \u201cThis is real, right? This is exactly what we need people doing on a day-to-day basis.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Workforce concerns are not limited to the energy sector; the cyber workforce writ large is <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/cyber-workforce-demand-supply-survey\/\">facing gaps<\/a> in the demand versus the available supply. The Office of the National Cyber Director also recently rolled out a <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/national-cybersecurity-strategy-implementation-plan\/\">workforce strategy<\/a> in response to the issue.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe know that energy infrastructure in this country is moving towards a significant increase in the number of distributed energy resources,\u201d Winn said. \u201cWe want to make sure that they\u2019re designing [security] in. We also want to make sure that they have access to the workforce that can do that work, right? So that\u2019s where CyberForce comes into play.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\">\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"popular-stories popular-stories--single-post\">\n<div class=\"popular-stories__container\">\n<h2 class=\"popular-stories__title\"> More Scoops <\/h2>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<section class=\"latest-podcasts\">\n<h2 class=\"latest-podcasts__title\"> Latest Podcasts\t<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"top-categories\">\n<div class=\"top-categories__container\">\n<h3 class=\"top-categories__category-title\">Technology<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"top-categories__container\">\n<h3 class=\"top-categories__category-title\">Government<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/main> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--bottom \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"interstitial\" class=\"welcome__container\"> <button id=\"close-modal-1\" class=\"welcome__clickable_area\"><\/button> <\/p>\n<div class=\"welcome__ad_wrapper\">\n<p> <button id=\"close-modal-3\" class=\"welcome__continue-button\">Continue to CyberScoop<\/button> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>   <\/body> <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/doe-hosting-simulated-cyberattack-for-students\/\">Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DOE hosting simulated cyberattack for students | CyberScoop Skip to<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[78,453,1144],"tags":[86,455,1145],"class_list":["post-1980","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cybersecurity","category-department-of-energy-doe","category-distributed-energy-resources","tag-cybersecurity","tag-department-of-energy-doe","tag-distributed-energy-resources"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":"","thumbnail":"","medium":"","medium_large":"","large":"","1536x1536":"","2048x2048":"","chromenews-featured":"","chromenews-large":"","chromenews-medium":""},"author_info":{"display_name":"Cyber Scoop","author_link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/author\/cyberscoop\/"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/cybersecurity\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Cybersecurity<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/department-of-energy-doe\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Department of Energy (DOE)<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/distributed-energy-resources\/\" rel=\"category tag\">distributed energy resources<\/a>","tag_info":"distributed energy resources","comment_count":"0","jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1980","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1980"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1980\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1980"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1980"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1980"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

{"id":1980,"date":"2023-11-03T20:21:06","date_gmt":"2023-11-03T20:21:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=77917"},"modified":"2023-11-03T20:21:06","modified_gmt":"2023-11-03T20:21:06","slug":"doe-hosting-simulated-cyberattack-for-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2023\/11\/03\/doe-hosting-simulated-cyberattack-for-students\/","title":{"rendered":"DOE hosting simulated cyberattack for students"},"content":{"rendered":"