IBM Security Global Forum

In March of this year, the Biden administration issued warnings about state-sponsored cyberattacks targeting U.S. critical infrastructure. The warnings cited “evolving intelligence” which may have been based upon an FBI advisory that threat actors scanned the networks of five U.S. energy companies and at least eighteen U.S. companies in other sectors.

The sectors the U.S. defines as critical covers a vast amount of territory. Among them are Communications, Energy, and Water and Wastewater Systems. Each of these has deep interdependencies on the other, each has unique vulnerabilities, and each has seen past disruptive attacks either in the U.S. or abroad.

The warnings are not only ominous, but like the sectors themselves, they are also broad. In this episode of Behind the Shield, my cohost Nick Bradley and I talk about the specificities behind vulnerabilities in these sectors and what the warnings may really mean. We’ll also take a look at oft cited perspective that while there have been warnings, attacks haven’t happened in the way many predicted—and whether or not they’re still to come.

We’ll pull on the minds of two established voices in cybersecurity, each with a unique history with and perspective on critical infrastructure and an expertise in geopolitical events: HypaSec CEO Chris Kubecka, and X-Force Strategic Threat Analyst, Michael Worley.  

The show aired on April 28, 2022, but available for on-demand. 

How to watch

• Subscribe to Expert TV here.
• Once you’re subscribed, navigate to the show here.

Bookmark Behind the Shield here.  We’ll be broadcasting a new 30-minute episode every month -- and previous episodes are always available on-demand.