Cybersecurity: Building safer energy infrastructure together

Background

The German-Israeli Energy Partnership was launched in 2022. This partnership constitutes a joint effort to support innovative projects and the exchange of best practices to mitigate the effects of climate change and ensure a smooth transition towards a carbon-free economy whilst bolstering economic growth in Germany and Israel. This is done by bringing together policymakers, leading entrepreneurs, and experts in relevant fields to tackle some of the most pressing challenges in topics ranging from cyber security and the protection of critical energy infrastructure to ramping up the production, the storage, and the transportation of energy from renewable and sustainable sources.

The digitalisation of energy systems heightens their susceptibility to cyber threats. Israel, a global leader in cybersecurity and a target for a multitude of cyber-attacks on its systems yearly, offers Germany invaluable expertise in this field. Germany, due to its larger size, has a more complex energy system. Consequently, Germany can provide insights and case studies regarding cybersecurity of a very complex energy system which is highly interconnected with its neighbouring states.

Challenge and Goal

In recent years, the number of cyber-attacks on critical energy infrastructure has risen drastically – in Israel and Germany. These attacks can take place on the level of IT, as well as OT. On one hand, the digital infrastructure needs to be designed in a secure fashion. On the other hand, energy infrastructure is based on physical properties and thus, energy infrastructure requires other cybersecurity measures than other systems which are only based on IT systems. Consequently, both need to be thought together to ensure the resilience of critical energy infrastructure.

Action (!) taken  

To prevent cyber-attacks from taking root and consequently, having dire consequences, for example blackouts, the German-Israeli Energy Partnership encompasses cooperative efforts. These include deliberations on smart meter gateways and security by design. Moreover, the German-Israeli Energy Partnership has facilitated the establishment of a platform for key personnel of both countries to discuss cyber-attacks on critical energy infrastructure and related enterprises in real time.

Impact

The various exchanges highlighted the need for academic guidance on key topics. Consequently, a bilateral research collaboration was initiated between the Israeli Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and the German National Research Center for Applied Cybersecurity (ATHENE). The high-level opening ceremony for this research project took place on 06.-07.05.24 at Frankfurt University, which provided the opportunity for senior researchers from Israel and Germany to discuss joint research topics. The joint research programm will focus on the analysis and detection of cyberattacks on critical energy infrastructure, and potential countermeasures. This research collaboration is set to take place over the next three years promising great discussions and with applicable research outcomes for the entire energy sector.