Citizens Electric Corporation Using N-Dimension to Help Meet NERC CIP Regulations

Utility Gains Timely Awareness into Potential Cybersecurity Issues

ADDISON, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#Canada–N-Dimension Solutions, a market leading Managed Security Service
Provider (MSSP) with innovative solutions that protect smart energy
networks from cyber threats, announced Citizens Electric Corporation
(CEC) has adopted use of N-Sentinel Monitoring to help meet regulatory
compliance and gain visibility into cyber threats. As a utility that
operates transmission and distribution (T&D) power lines, CEC took
proactive steps to meet NERC
CIP compliance by monitoring their SCADA network for cybersecurity
threats. In addition, they chose to be proactive in monitoring their
internal IT network as well, with N-Sentinel Monitoring, protecting
confidential customer and utility data and assets.

CEC, located in Southeastern Missouri, operates over 3,000 miles of
transmission and distribution power lines, including 50 substations. As
a cooperative utility, they are committed to providing reliable power at
the lowest possible price to their 27,000 members.

“N-Sentinel Monitoring provides us with early awareness into potential
threats and in-depth insights so we can be proactive and take action –
before they result in any kind of incident,” said Kerry Kimrey, IT
supervisor and CIP senior manager, CEC. “It’s important for every co-op
to have this type of intrusion monitoring and cybersecurity intelligence
not only for early threat awareness but to be able to fine tune
cybersecurity policies on an ongoing basis.”

N-Sentinel Monitoring is an essential element in meeting NERC CIP
compliance through continuous monitoring of inbound and outbound
communications of the SCADA network, logging cybersecurity incidents and
generating alerts. Customers have access to the security incident logs
required for compliance via a secure web portal where it can be viewed
or download any time.

The CEC IT staff has gained additional guidance on remediation and best
cybersecurity practices by working with N-Dimension’s team of
cybersecurity experts. This service is provided as an integral component
of N-Sentinel Monitoring and provides many utilities with additional
expertise they don’t have as part of their IT staff.

“With the increasing attention by government officials and organizations
on improving the security of critical utility infrastructures, it has
become clear that before you can develop a plan to protect you need
visibility into network activity,” said Tom Ayers, president and CEO,
N-Dimension. “As a managed service, we can quickly help utilities meet
NERC CIP compliance and deliver the essential intelligence and reporting
needed.”

Upcoming events in which N-Dimension will be participating include the
Milsoft Users Conference (June 13-15); American Public Power National
Conference (June 16-21); and MEARIE Conference (June 21-23).

About N-Dimension Solutions
N-Dimension is a market leading
Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) with innovative solutions
tailored to protect smart energy networks from cyberattacks, improving
system reliability and safeguarding critical infrastructure, data and
assets. The company’s N-Sentinel line of services delivers vigilance,
detecting and alerting on cyber threats. It combines cloud-based
security intelligence and cybersecurity experts to deliver actionable
guidance that enables utilities to take timely, preemptive action to
protect themselves against cyber threats and vulnerabilities.

Company headquarters are in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada and U.S.
headquarters are located in Addison, Texas. N-Dimension is the exclusive
cybersecurity partner of Hometown Connections; and associate member of
the American Public Power Association (APPA), National Rural Electric
Cooperative Association (NRECA) and Electricity Distributors Association
(EDA).

For more information about N-Sentinel and to request a free
trial, visit our website at www.n-dimension.com.
Please follow us on Twitter
and LinkedIn;
check us out on YouTube
and CrunchBase.

Contacts

N-Dimension Solutions
Media Contact
Denise Barton,
(408) 219-3403
[email protected]