Integrating Identity and Access Management for Critical Infrastructure: Ensuring Compliance and Security in Utility Systems

Authors

Suchismita Chatterjee

Abstract

In the utility industry, particularly within the gas and electric sectors, where both physical and software assets are distributed nationwide, securing vast amounts of NERC data stored across on-premises and cloud infrastructures is a critical challenge. To ensure the security of this data, it is essential to adhere to the NERC (North American Electric Reliability Corporation) standards, specifically the BCSI (Bulk Electric System Cyber System Information) standard. The BCSI standard mandates that organizations identify gaps, prioritize risks, and mitigate vulnerabilities based on their identified severity (Ten et al., 2007). The complexity of managing such an environment, combined with stringent operational standards, led to the development of NERC’s regulatory frameworks. These frameworks aim to assess system vulnerabilities and provide remediation guidelines grounded in best practices for cybersecurity. However, a notable gap exists between the control frameworks defined by regulatory standards and the practical implementation required from a development standpoint. As a result, companies often face significant data breaches, jeopardizing national security. A key requirement in the BCSI standard is the identification and tagging of "crown jewel" NERC assets, followed by the creation of secure, isolated gateways to restrict access. Only authorized personnel or entities should be allowed access to these critical assets and the data they store, which introduces significant challenges related to data segregation and access control management.
For large organizations, implementing these standards—such as access control, IAM(Identity and Access Management), and SSO (Single Sign-On)—becomes even more complex. However, maintaining strict adherence to the BCSI standards and ensuring robust security measures are in place to manage access effectively is crucial to safeguarding sensitive NERC data and mitigating cybersecurity risks.

Keywords

NERC Certification, Identity and Access Management (IAM), Single Sign-On (SSO), System for Cross Domain Identity Management (SCIM), Utility Sector Cybersecurity, Access Control, Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP), Data Security, Regulatory Compliance, Cloud Security, IT and OT Integration, NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection Standards, Just-In-Time (JIT) Access, Privileged Access Management (PAM), Data Segmentation, Role-Based Security, Risk Mitigation in Utilities, Access Governance, Enterprise Security Frameworks.

Integrating Identity and Access Management for Critical Infrastructure: Ensuring Compliance and Security in Utility Systems. Suchismita Chatterjee. 2022. IJIRCT, Volume 8, Issue 2. Pages 1-8. https://www.ijirct.org/viewPaper.php?paperId=2412105