1 CASE STUDY

Vermont Electric Coop

Nozomi Networks' Guardian solution delivers the reliability, cybersecurity and operational efficiency benefits that we sought. Its performance gives me peace of mind because we’re continuously improving our security profile.

Kris Smith Manager of Operations Engineering, Vermont Electric Cooperative

Customer Profile

• A Vermont energy provider operating across 75

communities in eight counties

• Annual revenue in excess of $77,000,000

Goals & Challenges

• Enhance the reliability and cybersecurity of the

power grid

• Increase operational efficiency by eliminating

manually-intensive ICS monitoring

Results

• Implemented proven solution to “greatly enhance

[VEC’s] security profile”

• Boosted operational efficiency by slashing ICS

administration and cybersecurity hours. Labor hours

were reduced by "10 to 12 hours a week" [12.5 labor

weeks annually]

• Reduced the number of repair truck rolls

Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC) garnered significant improvements in the reliability, efficiency and cybersecurity of its utility power delivery.

CASE STUDY

Regional Power Operator Improves ICS Cybersecurity and Operational Efficiency

To hear directly from Vermont Electric Coop,

visit: www.nozominetworks.com/resources/

vermont-electric

https://www.nozominetworks.com/resources/vermont-electric https://www.nozominetworks.com/resources/vermont-electric

2 CASE STUDY

Vermont Electric Coop

Guardian Proves its Value to Earn System-wide Deployment

The Challenge: Enhancing Security Profile While Increasing Operational Efficiency

Electric industry information sharing and confidential briefings from industry and

government agencies worry Kris Smith, Manager of Operations Engineering at Vermont

Electric Cooperative. That’s because the responsibility for service interruptions to

VEC’s members lands squarely on his shoulders. “As with any utility, service reliability is

paramount. And a robust cybersecurity program with robust cybersecurity platforms are

how we ensure that reliability.”

In practice, promoting reliability means adopting the U.S. Office of Electricity Delivery

and Energy Reliability’s (OE) mindset. Specifically, boosting VEC’s cybersecurity

preparedness and incident response capabilities. Towards that end, Smith resolved

to overcome several challenges that he faced. “[Prior to implementing the Nozomi

Networks solution] we relied heavily on manual, time-consuming processes to

administer our systems and mine data. Collating and analyzing large data sets in tabular

format, from three different systems, was so resource intensive that it made applying a

comprehensive cybersecurity approach difficult."

VEC's Goals To ensure he chose an effective solution, Smith established strict criteria. First among them

was a solution with a proven industry track record. “We didn’t want to be beta testers for

newcomers in our space.”

Additionally, Smith wanted a solution that could:

• Automatically build an asset inventory, visualize assets and model their interactions

• Systematically detect and provide alerts concerning anomalies and potential threats

• Dramatically improve operational efficiency by:

- Replacing manual processes with automation features and capabilities

- Interfacing seamlessly with VEC’s existing systems

- Enabling the consolidation of data from networks onto a single platform

• Scale and adapt for future development, growth and support

3 CASE STUDY

Vermont Electric Coop

VEC and Nozomi Networks Boost Control Network Reliability, Efficiency, and ICS Cybersecurity

The Solution: Guardian Demonstrates its Value in Proof of Concept

“We selected Nozomi Networks because their Guardian solution meets all of our requirements in terms of visualization, detection, response and administration, as well as being a platform for long-term development and support.”

The final decision was based in part on the completion of a successful Proof of Concept (PoC) project at VEC. Smith uses the Guardian solution to consolidate ICS data for analysis, to visualize his assets and their relationships to one another, and to automate alerts to address anomalies and potential threats.

“It allows us to do a deep dive into the network protocols themselves, which supports both our cybersecurity and operational efficiency objectives.”

The Results: Improved Reliability, Cybersecurity and Productivity

A Proven Solution

Smith deployed a tried, tested and vetted solution so that he could focus on tuning, monitoring and maintaining his network to ensure its reliability and efficiency. “Not only do they have major deployments around the world to their credit, but Nozomi Networks specialists demonstrated that Guardian delivers value in our environment. Most significantly, the solution has reinforced our cybersecurity program to help us advance our reliability goals.”

Enriched Cybersecurity Visualization and Response

“Today, I can visualize all of my network components and see how they interact together,” says Smith. “I’ve also added IOCs [indicators of compromise] as I get them through the cybersecurity community. So, in a matter of moments, I can identify, and promptly address, any issues.”

Smith likes the automated cybersecurity and operational monitoring feature he gets through Guardian. “When the system detects anomalies, I get email alerts in real time.”

Additionally, Smith notes that the Nozomi Networks solution’s comprehensive and integrated reports have “…enabled me to do more consistent reviews of my log data and system performance. And it allows me to respond more quickly and comprehensively to information that we get from our peers."

"We chose Nozomi Networks because their solution delivers enhanced ICS cybersecurity, significantly increases our productivity and positions us to adapt to changing circumstances."

Kris Smith Manager of Operations Engineering, Vermont Electric Cooperative

4 CASE STUDY

Vermont Electric Coop

VEC and Nozomi Networks Boost Control Network Reliability, Efficiency, and ICS Cybersecurity

The Results: Improved Reliability, Cybersecurity and Productivity

As a result, “Vermont Electric Cooperative enjoys a greatly enhanced security posture

that reduces our exposure,” explains Smith. “So much so that with Guardian in place, I

have the peace of mind that lets me sleep at night.”

Greater Operational Efficiency Guardian gives Smith granular visibility into ICS operations. Specifically, the solution

creates an asset inventory and automatically updates it. Furthermore, it visualizes VEC’s

network and models the relationships between assets. Finally, artificial intelligence

features allow Guardian to learn traffic behavior patterns, and issue alerts or warnings

when anomalies are detected. “We’ve also used this data to tune protocols to be more

efficient and to eliminate some communication errors as well,” adds Smith.

These features combine to eliminate many of the time-intensive, manual tasks that

Smith used to perform. “Previously, it took me two to three hours to go through dozens

of pages of information from three systems,” explains Smith. “Today, some of the

cybersecurity system reviews I do take me as little as 15 minutes. Overall, the Nozomi

Networks solution has helped me gain back between 10-12 hours a week.”1

The solution also helps Smith reduce time spent on troubleshooting and forensic

activities. “Guardian allows us to drill down in protocols for new and existing equipment

to efficiently diagnose issues. Consequently, we’ve improved our operational

performance and in some cases can avoid costly truck rolls.”

Future Plans While VEC currently doesn’t have any NERC CIP jurisdictional assets, “We’re prepared for

the possibility that regulators will bump the limit down so that our assets are included,”

says Smith. “I like that Guardian positions us to be compliant if regulations become more

stringent.”

"Nozomi Networks Guardian helps us secure reliable, more efficient energy delivery to keep our cooperative members happy."

Kris Smith Manager of Operations Engineering, Vermont Electric Cooperative

1About 500 labor hours annually (assuming 10 hrs/week @ 50 weeks) - or 12.5 labor weeks per year.

5 CASE STUDY

Vermont Electric Coop

About Vermont Electric Coop Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC) is a member-owned electric distribution utility

headquartered in Johnson, VT. It provides safe, affordable and reliable energy services to

its approximately 32,000 members. Towards that end, it operates under the guidelines

of a Service Quality and Reliability Plan (SQRP), which measures employee’s service

performance. VEC’s operating area covers 75 communities across eight counties and

includes 2,882 miles of line and 39,546 meters.

See how Vermont Electric benefits from the Nozomi Networks solution. Energy operators gain the real-time visibility and threat detection needed to ensure

highcyber resiliency and reliability. Watch the video featuring Kris Smith from Vermont

Electric Coop by visiting www.nozominetworks.com/resources/vermont-electric.

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6 CASE STUDY

Vermont Electric Coop nozominetworks.com

Cybersecurity for OT, IoT and Critical Infrastructure Nozomi Networks protects the world’s critical infrastructure from cyber

threats. Our platform uniquely combines network and endpoint visibility,

threat detection, and AI-powered analysis for faster, more effective

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