Technology giant Cisco, with the support of the Pentagon, has supplied Ukrenergo— Ukrainian State Electricity Transmission System Operator—with special equipment to help it withstand cyberattacks.
A Cisco representative told The Register about the issue.
The equipment must cope with Russian radio interference that affects GPS systems.
Russia’s jamming activity is primarily carried out to interfere with missile guidance systems, but a knock-on effect is disruption to grid operators.
Operators rely on GPS systems to manage the flow of electricity in the country.
This can lead to the inability to trace the exact location of an issue, such as a line break.
“Our team set out to devise a solution using our own technology,” a Cisco spokesperson said.
Cisco sent Ukrenergo modified versions of its network switches after stress-testing the equipment in its lab in the USA.
According to CNN, the cost of creating and delivering the equipment is estimated at about $1 million, but Cisco sent it free of charge.
The Pentagon organized flights to deliver the cargo to Ukraine, the Ministry of Energy handled the logistics, and the Ministry of Commerce organized meetings between American technical experts and Ukrenergo.
Over the past two years, Russia’s missiles and drones have destroyed 40% of power substations and related equipment across the country.
According to Ilia Vityuk, Head of the SSU’s Cybersecurity Department, massive attempts by Russian hackers to attack power plants are expected this winter.