In this episode Rob and Stan look at various cybersecurity risks in the critical infrastructure sectors - and how to mitigate against them It has been inspired by a series of blog posts  written by Stan that focus on:
Healthcare and public health
Energy
Financial services
Critical manufacturing

"Some of the threats are common among the different sectors. Certainly these  large scale kind of ransomware attacks is impacting healthcare. Bu it's also impacting the manufacturing sector. You know, 13% of all ransomware attacks last year were attributed to those in the manufacturing sector. Because if your production line’s down you're motivated to pay. And ransomware attackers know that."

" think the reality is we can no longer assume that we have a landscape where people will play nice.  For example what's going on between Ukraine and Russia, where cyber is being used as one of the elements of war. And if we are in a conflict in the future, our adversary is most likely going to be leveraging cyber and will look for weaknesses in our infrastructure.  We've got to change the priority and the voluntary approach doesn't seem to work. So whether it be through carrot or stick we need to  motivate each of these operators to raise their game. Because time's running out."

EXTRA! Cybersecurity in the critical infrastructure sectors

When it comes to addressing the trilemma of energy policy in the UK (net zero, energy security and customer affordability), there are three overall policy approaches. “Policy option 1” is about setting targets: pick a year by when net zero is to be achieved, and then do whatever is necessary to get there. “Policy option 2” is the other way around, looking at what can be afforded and then at what can be achieved with the available pot of money.

There is a third set of more extreme options of stopping oil and gas now, or just assuming that science and technology will eventually solve the problem. Both are dangerous.

What is now needed is a rational debate and honesty. Politicians need to engage in an open conversation with citizens and to work out how to maximise the benefits from what can be afforded, by making hard choices between the options.

Three energy policies

Helm Talks is full of short, 'pull no punches' insights into:
Energy & Climate; 
Regulation, Utilities & Infrastructure; 
Natural Capital & the Environment.

Professor Dieter Helm is Professor of Economic Policy at the University of Oxford.

Three energy policies

Helm Talks - energy climate infrastructure & more

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