Itaipu hosts meeting to strengthen cybersecurity in the electricity sector.

247 - From November 5th to 7th, Itaipu Binacional and Itaipu Parquetec hosted the 4th Cybersecurity Technical Meeting, which brought together approximately 30 companies from the electricity sector to discuss strategies, share experiences, and conduct practical simulations on the topic. The event was promoted in partnership with Abrage (Brazilian Association of Electric Power Generating Companies) and Abrate (Brazilian Association of Electric Power Transmission Companies). This information is from Itaipu Binacional.

The forum aimed to highlight the importance of cybersecurity not only as a technical issue, but also as a matter of governance and cooperation between institutions. "We are creating and strengthening a community at Itaipu and Itaipu Parquetec, bringing together representatives interested in the same topic," stated the administrative director of Itaipu. Iggor Gomes Rocha, who represented the Brazilian director-general, Enio Verri. "We have invested heavily in training and developing a culture of cybersecurity among our employees."

In collaboration with Itaipu Parquetec, the hydroelectric plant has been expanding its initiatives in training, applied research, and technological innovation. According to Itaipu's executive technical director, Renato SacramentoThe topic is central to the company's future. "It becomes even more relevant at a time when the plant is undergoing a major technological upgrade, which will increase the level of digitalization of its supervision, control, and protection systems."

With approximately 120 participants, the meeting included practical activities with incident simulations and techniques for responding to cyberattacks. “In this edition, we reinforced the practical and collaborative nature of the program, offering participants the opportunity to experience real-life situations and develop strategic responses to incidents. It's a way to transform knowledge into action,” highlighted the Director of Technologies at Itaipu Parquetec. Alexandre LeiteHe added that "what we are dealing with here is energy security, national sovereignty."

Representing the board of directors of Abrage, the technical advisor José Filgueiras He assessed that the meeting reflects the sector's maturation in the face of digital transformation. "This meeting creates a space for open dialogue, where lessons learned and experiences are shared for the benefit of the security of the Brazilian electrical system. The continuity and reliability of energy supply depend directly on the integrity of the digital systems that underpin our operations," he stated.

According to the technical director of Abrate, Geraldo PonteloCybersecurity is also related to the resilience of critical infrastructure in the face of climate change. "This meeting is an essential investment to protect critical infrastructure, ensure the quality of public service delivery, and protect the lives of the population," he said.

During the three-day event, several technical panels were held. Among the presentations, the following stand out: Jacson Cherubin, from the Technical Support Division of the Itaipu Information Technology Superintendency, on the “Challenges for the creation of an Information Analysis and Sharing Center (ISAC) for the electricity sector”, and that of Paulo Benites, from the Electronic Engineering and Control Systems Division of Itaipu, which presented the “Safety Acceptance Test (TAS) Proposal for the Technological Upgrade Plan (PAT)”.