Utility executives and cybersecurity experts warn Pa. lawmakers of growing threats As grid infrastructure increasingly relies on internet connections to function, bad actors’ tools have become more sophisticated. Power lines cross a field in Snyder County, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Peter Hall/Pennsylvania Capital-Star) In the past year, FirstEnergy Pennsylvania has seen a growing number of attempted malware and cyberattacks around their critical infrastructure. “Our defensive systems block tens of thousands of automated malicious connection attempts against public facing services each month,” said Brian Harrell, the chief security officer at the company that serves 2.1 million electric customers across 56 counties in Pennsylvania. “These statistics underscore why cybersecurity requires constant attention and continual enhancement.” He was speaking to a panel of Pennsylvania House members about the increased cybersecurity threats utilities across the state are facing. In the last few years, criminal and state-sponsored actors have increasingly targeted critical infrastructure across America and Europe. And as utilities and grid infrastructure increasingly rely on internet connections to function, bad actors’ tools have become more sophisticated. “They’re seeking to manipulate, disrupt or disable the very control systems that provide light, heat and clean water for our communities,” said Rep. Pat Gallagher (D-Philadelphia), chair of the House Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee’s subcommittee on utilities. “Protecting our public utilities requires a unified front, one that bridges private operators, public regulators, state agencies and both political parties.” Utility executives and cybersecurity experts agreed that, at this point, investments in cybersecurity have become nearly as necessary as spending on infrastructures. But they warned lawmakers they come at a cost to ratepayers, and asked for any new regulations or requirements to take that into account. “These investments are necessary, but cybersecurity now competes for the same limited resources needed for pipes, pumps and capital improvements,” said Craig Fahnestock,