Auburn University’s McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security has been awarded a $10 million grant from the Department of Energy, in partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, to create a regional cybersecurity research and operations center. The new center aims to protect the electric power grid against cyberattacks and enhance cybersecurity across various critical infrastructure sectors.
The project, totaling $12.5 million, will be known as the Southeast Region Cybersecurity Collaboration Center (SERC3). This center will unite experts from the private sector, academia, and government to share information and develop real-world solutions to safeguard the nation’s power grid. A mock utility command center will offer training in real-time cyber defense.
Steve Taylor, Auburn University’s senior vice president for research and economic development, expressed pride in being at the forefront of cybersecurity research. The center will engage in vital research and provide operational solutions to protect against cyber threats. The partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and support from Rep. Mike Rogers played crucial roles in securing funding for the program.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory Director Stephen Streiffer emphasized the collaboration's importance in combining capabilities with industry to develop and transfer new security technologies. Auburn University’s Samuel Ginn College of Engineering and Oak Ridge National Laboratory will establish research labs to support the integration of new and existing security software and hardware.
With an emphasis on critical infrastructure, the research will bolster utilities nationwide, helping them become more resilient to the growing threat of cyberattacks. SERC3 will focus on regional partnerships and developing science-based solutions to mitigate these risks, ensuring the reliability and security of the nation's power grid.
Source: ornl.gov