TECNALIA launches a large cybersecurity assessment laboratory to get ahead of European requirements for the electricity sector
- The research and technological development centre has a set of five laboratories that are pioneers in Europe, with more than 1,000 m2 across Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa: the Electrical Grid Cybersecurity Laboratory, Cyber-Range Laboratory, Automotive Cybersecurity Laboratory, Blockchain Laboratory, belonging to the Basque Cybersecurity Node of the Basque Digital Innovation Hub (BDIH) and to the INCIBE National Network of Industrial Laboratories; and the Electrical Equipment Cybersecurity Assessment Laboratory, with more than 15 years of experience in the sector.
- TECNALIA expects to achieve accreditation for IEC 62443-4-2 as per ISO 17025 in the coming months, and for IEC 62443-4-1 as per ISO 17065 by the end of the year, which will give it full ENAC accreditation for the certification of industrial control system components.
- Due to the rise in the number of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, Europe has developed new legislation aimed at ensuring more secure and resilient products. It will come into force in 2024 and will be mandatory for manufacturers of products with digital elements used in various industrial sectors such as electricity.
June 19, 2023. The TECNALIA research and technological development centre has set up laboratories that are pioneers in Europe, so that the electricity sector can get ahead of the requirements of the European Commission in cybersecurity testing of components and equipment. TECNALIA also plans to achieve accreditation for IEC 62443-4-2 as per ISO 17025 in the coming months and for IEC 62443-4- 1 as per ISO 17065 by the end of the year, which will give it full ENAC accreditation for the certification of industrial control system components and their secure development process.
Digital transformation is changing the processes of energy production, distribution and consumption, but increased connectivity and deployment of digital technology also increases the need to protect critical assets from threats. In fact, the number of cyberattacks on energy infrastructure has grown substantially over the past year due to the geopolitical situation and it is a trend that has been growing in recent years. According to the European Commission, cybercrime will entail annual costs estimated at €5.5 trillion in 2021.
Therefore, in view of the increase in cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, a uniform European legal framework is being established to ensure essential cybersecurity requirements are met when products with digital elements are launched onto the EU market. Developing new requirements to ensure more secure and resilient products. The European regulation, known as the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), will come into force in 2024 and will be mandatory for manufacturers of digital, industrial and electrical equipment. In this context, conformity assessment laboratories for cybersecurity components and equipment become an essential tool to help the electricity sector access the market.
In this sense, TECNALIA’s facilities, which are pioneers in Europe, will help companies access markets with high cybersecurity requirements. TECNALIA currently has a set of five laboratories, with more than 1,000 m2 across Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa. They launched their Industrial Cybersecurity equipment over 15 years ago and are now expecting to achieve a double accreditation this year.
This large set of laboratories is made up of the following: Electrical Grid Cybersecurity Laboratory, Cyber-Range Laboratory, Automotive Cybersecurity Laboratory, Blockchain Laboratory, belonging to the Basque Cybersecurity Node of the Basque Digital Innovation Hub (BDIH) and to the INCIBE National Network of Industrial Laboratories, and the Electrical Equipment Cybersecurity Assessment Laboratory.
According to Marta Castro, Director of Digital Lab Services at TECNALIA, “these labs support companies in their digital transformation strategies and facilitate the adoption of 5.0 technologies in a secure and resilient way against cyberattacks. In the energy sector, they assess the cybersecurity and resilience of all stages of the product development life-cycle, including the stages of regulatory compliance assessment and product certification, and they ensure the independence of all stakeholders involved in the process. Technological trends, such as the virtualisation of functionalities in electricity grid nodes and the use of shared data spaces between various stakeholders, are increasing the need to reinforce cybersecurity in the equipment and systems that make up the electricity system”.
Five laboratories
The Electrical Grid Cybersecurity Laboratory provides a controllable and secure environment in which new cybersecurity capabilities introduced by the sector can be installed and tested. It also simulates cybersecurity incidents and allows testing of advanced intrusion detection and protection solutions.
The Cyber-Range Laboratory specifically is a pioneering facility in Europe, dedicated to training personnel, and developing and validating new cybersecurity technologies in a virtual environment.
The Automotive Cybersecurity Laboratory focuses on the analysis and reduction of potential points of attack in vehicle communication systems, which could affect both privacy and security.
The Blockchain Lab enables companies to test technological solutions: everything from industrial data sovereignty management systems to traceability platforms for the energy, manufacturing and automotive sectors.
And the fifth one is the Electrical Equipment Cybersecurity Assessment Laboratory. This laboratory focuses especially on the electricity sector and holds agreements with several electrical companies that enable it to offer its assessment services as a laboratory authorised by these companies to assess the cybersecurity of equipment prior to its installation in the field. It also has a distinctive feature: it includes the full certification, covering all the tests required for the approval of electrical equipment: CE marking tests, protocols, functionalities, interoperability and cybersecurity.
“Another feature that makes these laboratories unique is the fact that they are growing and evolving in order to meet new needs by generating synergies with facilities and infrastructure dedicated to the industrial sectors of energy, connected industry and mobility,” explains Marta Castro.
About TECNALIA
TECNALIA is the largest applied research and technological development centre in Spain, a European benchmark and member of the Basque Research and Technology Alliance. We work with companies and institutions to increase their competitiveness, quality of life of people and achieve sustainable growth. We do so thanks to people who are passionate about technology and committed to building a better society. The main areas of action are: smart manufacturing, digital transformation, energy transition, sustainable mobility, personalised health and the urban ecosystem.
