Health Articles

 

Dhi.org

Secures Their Electric Transmission Facilities andalism, theft, and the poten-
ITC Holdings, Inc. has taken extraordinary steps tial for sabotage or acts of terrorism have to protect their physical and cyber assets in order to motivated the electric generation and maintain the integrity of their bulk electric system. Vtransmission industry to seek viable Headquartered in Novi, Michigan, ITC builds, main- security solutions. In doing so, they tains, and operates 15,000 circuit miles of overhead face unique challenges because of the way the industry and underground transmission lines that carry electric is structured. Companies must secure their facilities power to more than 13 million people, serving an area and protect their physical and electronic assets while of nearly 80,000 square miles. managing access to their properties state-to-state over Recognizing the serious impact to the local and geographically widespread regions.
national economy and to people's lives when the power 16 DOORS & HARDWARE £ AUGUST 2009
goes off, ITC makes it a priority to protect the transmission grid and provide efficient, reliable energy to its customers. ITC's vision is to have highly effective processes and procedures in place that meet and exceed the new government secu-rity standards. Robert Blickensdorf, ITC Security Manager, is responsible for project management as it relates to the installation, maintenance, and operation of physical security at ITC facilities. He serves as the liaison between ITC and local law enforce-ment and other security organiza-tions within the industry.
Blickensdorf says, "ITC corporate 1. Security Command Center
leaders realize the importance equipment to prevent vandalism or of protecting our physical and theft at these sites.
electronic assets and have been Blickensdorf says, "We do not very supportive of our security want to give any individual or initiatives." Facing an overwhelm- organization the opportunity to ing array of choices and costs, sabotage the system because the ITC developed a risk-based meth- impact is too far reaching." odology for pursuing a balanced Blickensdorf oversees the opera- approach to accomplishing their tions of ITC's Security Command security goals. ITC had to determine Center which is staffed with the type of physical security that personnel, 24 hours per day, 7 days would best serve each particular per week. The Security Command location, install and integrate the Center monitors live cameras necessary security devices, and then and alarm systems throughout maintain and monitor the effective- their sites. Video verified intru- ness of the system.
sion alarms have become more Facing threats of vandalism and practical as the costs of CCTV theft due to the high price of copper (closed circuit television cameras) and other metals on the open have been declining, making it market, ITC adopted measures to a capable solution for enhancing prevent someone from accessing their security (See photo 1).
one of their sites with the intent of To date, ITC has installed at least stealing metal and, in the process, 300 live cameras along with an causing damage that affects the integrated alarm system at 30 of reliability of the system or the their sites. With their sophisticated safety of employees and contractors. security system in place, Security Vulnerability is heightened at ITC's Command Center personnel can remote sites because of their isola- quickly determine whether an intru- tion. In an effort to address these sion is non-threatening or something concerns, they installed security more serious (See photo 2).
2. Live Camera Mounted on a Pole by Perimeter Fence
AUGUST 2009 £ DOORS & HARDWARE 17
ITC's physical security projects There were logistic challenges encompass ITC headquarters, that confronted ITC in develop- substations, and warehouses. In ing a strategy for meeting the CIP addition to the live cameras and Reliability Standards. As they began alarm system, they have installed to tackle these issues, they looked perimeter fence intrusion moni- for a secure access control system tors, photo-beam towers, infrared that would provide the flexibility illumination devices, motion they needed. Most importantly, they detection towers, and other physi- needed a system that could bring cal security equipment at strategic key control and an audit trail to locations. They also have an inte- their remote sites without requiring grated online access card system power at the lock. installed throughout their facilities. Blickensdorf comments, "We If there is any unauthorized access required a system that could elimi- or other alarm, this information is nate the risks associated with the quickly transmitted to the Security duplication of keys, and assist us 3. CyberLock Cylinder in an ITC Padlock
Command Center for action.
with CIP compliance by tracking The Federal Energy Regulatory contractors and employees that go Commission (FERC) and into locations that contain critical the North American Electric cyber assets." They were looking for Reliability Corporation (NERC) a product that could be integrated have established enforceable with the sophisticated security security standards to prevent equipment and systems they electronic and physical attacks already had in place.
that could cripple the energy After thorough research, the industry which is a critical part organization chose to implement of our nation's infrastructure. CyberLock and proceeded to inte- In January, 2008, Critical grate the electronic lock system into Infrastructure Protection (CIP) their existing systems. ITC solicited Reliability Standards were the help of Janna Access LLC, an approved for the purpose of protect- access control integration company 4. CyberLock Installed in a Net Shelter Box
ing the physical security of critical located in Columbia Station, Ohio. cyber assets. CIP Standard 006-1 "Janna Access came on site and "requires a responsible entity to create worked very closely with our IT and maintain a physical security plan people. Janna gave us the IT support that ensures that all cyber assets within we required to integrate the system an electronic security perimeter also and provided the training our staff reside within an identified physical needed to operate the system," says security perimeter. The physical secu- Blickensdorf. (See photo 3) rity plan must contain processes for ITC replaced the cylinders in their identifying, controlling, and monitoring mechanical locks with electronic all access points and authorization cylinders. They have installed requests. The Reliability Standard also electronic locks on their RTU and requires that the logging of physical NetShelter cabinets and control- access must occur at all times, and the house doors. Electronic padlocks are information logged must be sufficient protecting their TMedic boxes and to uniquely identify individuals."1 perimeter fence gates. "The physical 5. CyberLock Padlock on an ITU Cabinet
cyber assets we are protecting with 18 DOORS & HARDWARE £ AUGUST 2009

FREE FREIGHT FROM AKRON HARDWARE.
To our competitors, figuring out free freight can be a complicated issue. Minimum orders. Geographic stipulations. Annual volume requirements. At Akron Hardware we take a much simpler approach. We pay UPS Ground Freight on every order, every day for every customer. Simple. Akron Hardware - a Closer, Faster, Better source.
Closer. Faster. Better.
Corbin Russwin • Sargent • Yale • Norton • Rixson • Securitron • HES • Adams Rite • Arrow McKinney • Folger Adam • Medeco • Dorma • Kaba Access Control • Kaba Mas • ACSI is programmed to access selected locks at specific locations and only during certain times of the day. The electronic locks and keys audit openings and unauthorized attempts to enter areas that protect electronic data and the equipment it's housed in.
"The electronic lock system provides a two-pronged approach to controlling physical access to our electronic assets. First, we can control who we issue a key to and how the key is to be used by that person. Second, we can track that person's activity at the different sites," summarizes Blickensdorf.
ITC's vision to have the best secu- rity measures in place to protect the reliability of their grid continues to grow. By partnering with a capable access control system integrator and Andy Hilverda, V.P. of Videx
taking advantage of today's advances the electronic locks are critical under and unaccounted for. "With the new in security technology, they have the CIP Reliability Standards," says restrictive electronic key in the field, implemented integrated security Blickensdorf. (See photo 4, page 18) we have accountability and an elec- systems that will continue to provide ITC has issued electronic keys to tronic record of where the key has the physical security and account- their contractors and employees in been used, how it has been used, ability they require. As government the field that need access to substa- and by whom," says Blickensdorf. standards evolve and new security tions and other sensitive areas. ITC Each electronic key is set with an threats emerge, ITC is in a strong primarily utilizes a contract work automatic expiration to reduce the position to respond quickly and force for their field work. These risks associated with lost keys. If alliance partner contractors typi- a key is missing, ITC can quickly cally work full-time on ITC projects deactivate the key or let the key and are tasked with maintaining the electric power grid. They "Everyone in the industry is require access to the substations working towards CIP compliance," in order complete their tasks. ITC states Blickensdorf. He adds, "The programs each authorized person's electronic lock system assists us electronic key with the access with compliance to CIP standards privileges they need to do their by tracking individuals that go into particular job. (See photo 5, page 18) locations that contain critical cyber The use of the electronic key assets." Through the placement has eliminated issues that ITC of an electronic lock, they can at About the Author: Andy Hilverda is Vice
experienced in the past with their any point download information President of Videx, Inc., a company that designs mechanical keys. Keys were being from that lock and determine who and manufactures security products and copied and shared, former employ- recently accessed that particular CyberLock electronic lock systems. Hilverda can be reached at 541-758-0521, and [email protected]. ees had keys, and keys were missing location. Each authorized user's key For more information go to www.videx.com. 20 DOORS & HARDWARE £ AUGUST 2009

Source: https://www.dhi.org/shared/forms/PDFforms/Publications/DH_09/8_Aug09/Aug09_3_ITCHoldings.pdf