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Electric cooperatives serve millions of rural Americans, but limited defenses make them favored targets for cyberattackers. One Colorado cooperative had systems down for over a month after a single attack.
Key Lesson
"Any company, at any size is a target. In-depth defense strategies need to be implemented regardless of size."
"Co-ops and rural utilities continue to be favored targets due to their limited defenses."
Smaller organizations often can't afford dedicated security teams or enterprise-grade protection tools.
Legacy systems that were never designed with cybersecurity in mind, still running critical operations.
Small staff means less expertise to identify threats, patch vulnerabilities, and respond to incidents.
Attacking power means leverage. Disruption affects entire communities, increasing ransom pressure.
According to NERC, susceptible grid points grow by approximately 60 per day—as more systems come online with potential vulnerabilities.
$4 million DOE funding to NRECA to advance cybersecurity posture of electric cooperatives.
Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity program provides additional $5 million in funding.
Access tabletop exercises, threat advisories, and regional information sharing networks.
Follow Critical Infrastructure Protection standards even if not technically required.
Ensure your cooperative can operate manually if systems are compromised.
Practice incident response before you need it. Test communication and recovery plans.
Take our free security audit to assess your cooperative's vulnerabilities and get specific recommendations for protection.