Energy Management Systems optimise generation, transmission, and distribution of electrical power through real-time SCADA integration, demand forecasting, and automatic generation control — making them high-consequence targets whose compromise could destabilise grid frequency, cause cascading failures, or enable deliberate blackouts. NERC CIP-005 and CIP-007 standards directly address EMS access control and security patch management, requiring electronic security perimeters and authenticated access for all interactive sessions with EMS systems.
Related: Zero Trust for OT · SCADA · NERC CIP · Energy · Utilities