Missouri Public Service Commissioners and utility companies discuss infrastructure cyber safety
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Missouri Public Service Commissioners and utility companies discuss infrastructure cyber safety

Date: November 26, 2012
By: Brendan Cullerton
State Capitol Bureau

Intro: 
Missouri utility regulators discussed how Missouri infrastructure plans to keep up with increasingly sophisticated hackers.
RunTime:  0:39
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Utility companies gave a presentation to each other and utility regulators on ways to protect the electric grid and other utilities from hackers.

Public Service Commissioner Terry Jarrett says the problem of hacking into American business has escalated from the lone hacker sitting in a basement to criminal organizations and even other countries.

Actuality:  JARRETT1.WAV
Run Time:  00:09
Description: "The Chinese have been trying to hack into businesses here in the United States, and the Iranians have been trying to hack into businesses here in the United States."

Jarrett says there is a security concern that hackers would be able to shut down utilities force Air Force and Army bases.

Reporting from the Capitol, I'm Brendan Cullerton.

Intro: 
Utility regulators and utility company owners met Monday to discuss defense against hackers into state infrastructure.
RunTime:  0:40
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Public Safety Commissioner Terry Jarret says outside threats to state infrastructure have become increasingly sophisticated, and recent hacking efforts by Chinese and Iranians on American businesses show a need for cyber safety to keep up.

Jarett says hackers with access to state utilities would pose a threat to national security.

Actuality:  JARRETT3.WAV
Run Time:  00:08
Description: "Attacking the grid and knocking the utilities out to Air Force bases and Army bases would be something that would be of concern."

Jarret says no foreign entity or criminal organization has successfully hacked into Missouri utility companies yet, but there is still more that can be done to improve safety.

Reporting from the Capitol, I'm Brendan Cullerton.

Intro: 
With the federal government attempting to bolster cyber security against foreign nations and criminal organizations, Missouri government attempts similar safety improvements on the state level.
RunTime:  0:41
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: National Utility Regulation chair Terry Jarrett says Missouri is currently attempting cyber defense improvements similar to the federal government after hacking efforts by the Chinese and Iranians on American Businesses.

Jarrett says cyber security everywhere needs to catch up to hackers.

Actuality:  JARRETT2.WAV
Run Time:  00:08
Description: "As the threats become more and more sophisticated, utilities have to continually get better at what they're doing."

Jarrett says the utility companies are currently spending ample amounts on the cyber safety of critical infrastructure, and that nobody has successfully hacked the electric grid yet, but there is still plenty to improve on.

Reporting from the Capitol, I'm Brendan Cullerton.