Sector Services - Lighthouse

Cyber Security

In our highly interconnected world, the ability to deliver reliable power – and maintain a reliable energy infrastructure – requires robust cyber security capabilities. As part of its cyber security mandate, the IESO is leading efforts to boost sector resilience by building collaboration, establishing partnerships and enhancing information-exchange and analysis.

Sector Services - Lighthouse

Cyber intelligence at your fingertips

Providing actionable threat intelligence information near real-time to help combat cyber threats

With the number and sophistication of cyber threats continuing to increase, having access to actionable threat intelligence information is more critical than ever. That’s the thinking behind Lighthouse, the cornerstone of the IESO’s cybersecurity sector services offering.

Improving sector awareness

In 2019, with the launch of Lighthouse, which provides a near real-time view into cyber threats and incidents that can impact our power grid, the IESO became the first system operator in North America to be accountable for providing cybersecurity-related services to the broader electricity sector. Designed to improve the resilience of the bulk electricity system, this detection, assessment and information-sharing service is the result of a one-of-a-kind partnership with the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (Cyber Centre), a trusted federal source of cybersecurity information, advice and guidance that builds on the IESO’s existing cybersecurity leadership and capabilities.

Providing world-class analysis

The IESO collects output from participating organizations – licensed distributors and transmitters who have signed up for the service – that it can share with the Cyber Centre.
With specialized cyber defence tools, the Cyber Centre analyzes the information it receives providing the IESO with a continuous and comprehensive assessment of cyber risks.
The IESO produces cybersecurity products and reports that give participating organizations important insights into threats and events that may have a potential impact – on them and on the sector.

Responding to sector needs

As part of its continuous improvement approach to cybersecurity, the IESO is always exploring new capabilities based on current sector priorities.

Through Lighthouse, the IESO produces several types of reports through a secure, online platform. These include:

Flash advisories that enhance situational awareness through tailored actionable intelligence relevant to Ontario’s electricity sector
Tactical threat intelligence reports that take a technical look at key threats and vulnerabilities
Strategic threat intelligence reports that are management-focused and provide insights into key trends.

The IESO portal is also the gateway to other cyber security products, including IESO cyber security playbooks and best practices.

For information about Lighthouse, participation agreements and the onboarding process, email the IESO’s Cyber Security Threat Intelligence Team at cybersecurity@ieso.ca.