Girard speaks at NRECA Cyber Tech conference

NRECA's Co-op Cyber Tech conference convened NRECA members and supporting organizations to address cybersecurity issues June 3-5. At the conference, AIEC Chief Technology Officer Dan Girard addressed attendees on applying the cooperative model to cybersecurity.

"One of our greatest principles is cooperation among cooperatives; I think it's what makes us truly unique. In the cooperative utility space, this means sharing knowledge, resources, expertise and lessons learned to improve the collective security posture of all cooperatives. Cyberthreats don't recognize organizational boundaries. Cyber Champions understand that defending one cooperative helps defend the entire network of cooperatives and the communities they serve. Peer-to-peer information sharing, joint cybersecurity training, collaborative incident response planning and coordinated tabletop exercises are all ways in which I have seen this approach play out. Mature cooperatives often mentor smaller or resource-constrained cooperatives by sharing best practices, tools and technical expertise. We also encourage transparency and trust, recognizing that openly discussing cyber incidents helps others prepare and avoid similar threats. The cooperative model also promotes cost-effective cybersecurity solutions through shared services, group purchasing and partnering with state and federal agencies. Cyber Champions apply the cooperative model by fostering a culture of collaboration, resilience and shared responsibility, ensuring that cybersecurity becomes a community effort focused on protecting critical infrastructure and the members who depend on it every day."