Why global power grids are still vulnerable to cyberattacks

A file photo shows power lines in Houston, Texas. The disruptive potential of grid failures – as seen in Texas last month due to a sudden deep freeze – makes the sector a key target, particularly for state-based hostile actors. — AP

More than five years after massive cyberattacks left a quarter of a million Ukrainians without electricity, the world’s power grids have become even more vulnerable to hackers.

As utilities turn to sources of renewable energy and add millions of other components like smart meters, they’re rapidly multiplying the number of connections and sensors along their networks, widening the potential for intrusions.