February 2017, Vol. 244, No. 2

Features

Meeting Cybersecurity Challenges in the Pipeline Industry

The United States has an extensive network of hazardous liquid and natural gas transmission and distribution pipelines. While there have been no reports of pipeline attacks on domestic soil, they have occurred in other nations. In 2008, a section of Turkey’s Baku-Tbilisi-Ceylan (BTC) pipeline was the victim of a targeted cyberattack on a valve station. The pipeline ruptured, exploded and released 30,000 barrels of oil. Many pipeline operators now recognize cybersecurity’s important role in the reliability of their networks and systems. It has become crucial as systems shift to open standards and protocols, and as accessibility and sharing of information – whether with governmental bodies or