Following a major power outage in Spain, the government is investigating the possibility of a cyberattack. While Red Eléctrica, the national grid operator, has ruled out a cyberattack affecting its networks, the government argues their assessment is incomplete, noting the complexity of the Spanish energy system and the potential vulnerability of various companies involved.
A government-led commission will investigate, including representatives from the National Cryptologic Center (CCN), the National Center for the Protection of Critical Infrastructures, and the National Cybersecurity Institute (INCIBE). The CCN will inspect companies to check for potential hacks.
The government has requested data from energy companies including Iberdrola, Endesa, EDP, Acciona EnergÃa, and Naturgy, and also requested an independent report from the European Union.
The government is worried that a cyberattack on a single point in the interconnected system could trigger a cascade failure, as seems to have happened. The incident prompted calls to the president of the European Commission, the NATO Secretary-General and the Ukrainian president.
The investigation focuses on the Southwest region of Spain, specifically Extremadura, where the incident originated, analyzing the potential impact of a cyberattack on the overall system.