Centre’s Subject Matter Expert Gave a Lecture on Cybersecurity in Energy Sector

On the 18^th of April, Mr. Vytautas Paul BUTRIMAS, a Subject Matter Expert from the Research and Lessons Learned Division at NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence, took part in a Regional Energy Security Symposium – Caucasus (RESS-C). Via Video Teleconference (VTC), he participated in an energy security awareness course with his lecture “Cybersecurity dimension of critical energy infrastructure”.

In his two lectures, Mr. Butrimas instructed the Government and energy operators of Georgia. After a presentation of main cybersecurity threats on energy sector, Subject Matter Expert introduced a practice tabletop exercise. It simulated a cyber-attack on part of Georgia’s electric power grid. Throughout it, Mr. Vytautas Paul BUTRIMAS developed the scenario, participant tasks and questions to be answered during the exercise.

Lecture was a part of Regional Energy Security Symposium. It was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia and co-sponsored by the U.S. Naval Post Graduate School’s Academic Group and the NATO ENSEC COE. The major goal of it is to further strengthen regional energy security and resiliency through increased awareness, regional coordination/cooperation, interagency coordination and public-private partnerships.

Participants of the RESS-C attend lectures and exercises on topics such as: the role of NATO in energy security, geopolitics and energy, cyber security, and others. The program includes ministers, ambassadors, vice presidents of industry, and an array of subject matter experts from prestigious academic, government, and international organizations that will present material in a manner to stimulate discussion and information sharing with all participants, who themselves are energy/security experts in their respective fields.