Consortium for Cyber Innovation members announce strategic collaboration with the Department of Energy & Idaho National Laboratory
The collaboration advances operational capabilities of the Forge Institute Emerging Threat Center (ETC)
Today, Forge Institute (Forge), a subrecipient of UA Little Rock’s $1 million grant, announced a collaboration to establish a new research project to enhance protections for Arkansas’s energy utilities against energy-focused cyberattacks within the existing Forge Institute Emerging Threat Center. This project is part of the Consortium for Cyber Innovation (CCI), which is led by Forge and includes UA Little Rock and the University of Arkansas.
The Forge Institute Emerging Threat Center (ETC) provides services to Arkansas’s critical infrastructure community by creating secure opportunities for trusted information sharing and analytic collaboration - all with the purpose of identifying and mitigating emergent threat risks. This new project enables purposeful collaboration to expand operational capabilities and enhance regional threat information sharing and workforce programs.
“Since inception, the ETC and its members have contributed to furthering regional information sharing and building trusted, operational collaborations,” said Lee Watson, Chairman and CEO of the Forge Institute. “This research project and continued strategic partnership with UA Little Rock and the University of Arkansas aligns the research interests of the parties and focuses the collaboration efforts on robusting cybersecurity defensive capabilities for our members and partners.”
The project is supported with a $1 Million award from the Department of Energy’s Office of Cyber Security, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER), and is endorsed by Sen. John Boozman.
“The new Emerging Threat Information Sharing and Analysis Center [project] is an exceptional example of the collaboration needed to enhance energy security on a regional level in the United States,” said Puesh Kumar, CESER Director. “My office is proud to support this effort to advance workforce development, training, and threat sharing capabilities, all of which are essential to our continued success in the face of ever-evolving cyber threats. I applaud the University of Arkansas Little Rock for involving students in this initiative as it presents a unique learning opportunity and supports the realization of a skilled cybersecurity workforce for the challenges of tomorrow.”
According to U.S. Senator John Boozman: “The Emerging Threat Information Sharing and Analysis Center [project] will be an instrumental part of our national strategy to prevent cybersecurity breaches and attacks that have the potential to disrupt our lives,” Sen. Boozman said. “I’m proud to support initiatives that strengthen The Natural State’s role in combating cyberthreats and prepare and train our workforce to help protect our information and secure our critical networks.”
From Left to Right: Chris Farnell (Assistant Professor, UA Fayetteville), Daron Frederick (CIO, Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation), Eleanor Taylor (Program Manager, University and Workforce Development, Idaho National Labs), Philip Huff (Assistant Professor, UA Little Rock), Chancellor Christy Drale (UA Little Rock), Ralph Ley (Department Manager of Workforce Development, Idaho National Labs), Lee Watson (Chairman & CEO, Forge Institute), and Scott Anderson (Executive Director, Forge Institute)
The project brings together electric utilities and partners from the energy sector to advance practices in cybersecurity threat sharing throughout the mid-South region of the country. The project’s goals focus on increasing workforce development, creating education and training for securing energy sector control systems, and advancing cybersecurity threat intelligence sharing and analytic practices.
To further enable and scale opportunities across the Consortium for Cyber Innovation and the state of Arkansas, Forge Institute has entered into a memorandum of understanding with Idaho National Laboratory (INL). This agreement between INL and Forge Institute (on behalf of CCI) sets forth the mutual areas of collaboration interests, including: (1) Cybersecurity threat sharing and analysis; (2) Industrial cybersecurity labs for training and exercises; and (3) Training and workforce development.
“By signing this MOU with Idaho National Laboratory, we have taken a huge step in building national-level partnerships to enhance the security of our nation’s energy sector and strengthen next-generation research opportunities for Arkansans,” said Lee Watson, Chairman & CEO of the Forge Institute. “This is not only spectacular, but highly strategic as we build the national-level cybersecurity threat analysis capabilities here in Arkansas.”
According to Ralph Ley, the Director of National Security Workforce Development at Idaho National Laboratory: "We're thrilled to embark on this collaborative journey with the Consortium for Cyber Innovation and Forge Institute. This memorandum of understanding marks a significant milestone in our collective pursuit of a more secure and resilient energy infrastructure. Leveraging the unparalleled expertise and resources of all parties involved, I'm confident that our joint efforts will yield transformative solutions to the ever-evolving cybersecurity challenges. We look forward to a future where energy sector cybersecurity is not just an aspiration, but an achievable reality."
As one of 17 national labs in the U.S. Department of Energy complex, Idaho National Laboratory is home to more than 5,700 researchers and support staff focused on innovations in nuclear research, renewable energy systems and national security solutions that are changing the world.
“The energy sector, and electric utilities, in particular, are on the front lines when it comes to nation state cybersecurity attacks,” said Dr. Philip Huff, Assistant Professor of Cybersecurity at UA Little Rock and principal investigator on the grant. “They are often among the first targeted because they provide critical services to society and are relied on by all other critical infrastructure sectors. It is especially important that we have cybersecurity protections for these services in place.”
“We are excited to partner on this project to further advance workforce development, expand NCREPT’s cyber testbed capabilities, and foster collaborations in the area of cybersecurity to help secure our nation’s critical infrastructure,” said Dr. Chris Farnell, Managing Director of the NCREPT facility at the University of Arkansas.
If you own or operate a utility, energy system or other critical infrastructure and are interested in how your organization can participate in the Emerging Threat Center, please visit www.forge.institute/etc, email etc@forge.institute or call 501-500-0812.
Watch the Full Press Conference Below:
Key Facts
UA Little Rock receives $1 million grant for a new project to increase capabilities in the already operational Forge Institute Emerging Threat Center; funding enables purposeful collaborations to expand operational capabilities, enhance regional threat information sharing, and develop new workforce training programs.
Forge Institute executes first statewide Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) collaboration agreement with Idaho National Laboratory (INL); marking the first time a collaboration MOU of this kind has been signed between a national laboratory and a statewide consortium.
Sen. John Boozman is instrumental in supporting this initiative.
About Idaho National Laboratory
Battelle Energy Alliance manages INL for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy. INL is the nation’s center for nuclear energy research and development, and also performs research in each of DOE’s strategic goal areas: energy, national security, science and the environment. For more information, visit www.inl.gov. Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About Forge Institute
Forge Institute is the Nation’s leader in advancing cyber capabilities through innovative partnerships across the public and private sectors. Our mantra, “Forever One Step Ahead,” is our reminder to remain vigilant, updated, and innovative against an enemy that seeks nothing less than the permanent disruption of our way of life. Forge Institute’s portfolio includes the Emerging Threat Center, The Forge Academy, The Forge Fellowship, and Innovation Labs which explore industry and federally funded projects with our research partners. For more information, visit the Forge Institute at: www.forge.institute
Links to Coverage:
https://ualr.edu/news/2023/05/30/cybersecurity-consortium/
https://www.kark.com/news/education/ua-little-rock-gears-up-for-cyberattacks-with-1-million-grant/
https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/may/31/energy-sector-gets-1m-for-cybersecurity/
