Strong cybersecurity muscles require a good workout, but sometimes a particularly strenuous tabletop exercise can be a little intimidating. This year, NRECA’s cybersecurity team will offer a way for electric cooperatives of any size to experience GridEx VIII, the country’s largest grid security exercise, without breaking too much of a sweat.

“For the first time NRECA will host an exercise simulation, where co-ops can join online to observe a fictional co-op conduct a condensed tabletop version of GridEx,” said Meredith Miller, NRECA principal data scientist for the electrical power grid and cybersecurity.

“This one-day, live event will give co-ops an opportunity to learn what GridEx requires and how they could plan to participate in the future."

Co-ops can register now for the Nov. 18 NRECA GridEx webinar, which is hosted by Louisville-based Kentucky Electric Cooperatives and the NRECA Cybersecurity Member Advisory Group (CS-MAG).

GridEx is the flagship biennial cybersecurity exercise run by the Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC) in which participants from all facets of the power sector delve into complex, realistic and highly stressful cyberattack situations.

“We know GridEx can be a heavy lift in terms of preparation time and resourcing, but this webinar is a great opportunity to participate in an exercise scenario tailored to the current landscape,” said Miller. “Our five-hour option will allow co-ops to learn how to customize the exercise to their utility’s size, maturity and environment."

During the event, NRECA’s CS-MAG will portray the fictional Uncanny Valley REA as it navigates a GridEx simulation tailored to small- to mid-sized co-ops, allowing observers to see in real time how the exercise works and how staff must quickly respond to its escalating challenges.

There will be a one-hour roundtable immediately following the GridEx webinar, which will give observers an opportunity to participate in a Q&A about the simulation.

The exercise is one of many open to co-ops as an opportunity to network and sharpen their cybersecurity skills.

“We encourage co-ops to look into cyber exercises within their states and regions to not only test their skills and spotlight weaknesses but to meet and collaborate with authorities and others who can help when an actual cyber incident occurs,” said Adrian McNamara, NRECA cybersecurity program manager.