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U.S. Offers $25 Million Cybersecurity Grant After Pipe Attacks

U.S. Offers $25 Million Cybersecurity Grant After Pipe Attacks

(Bloomberg) -- The U.S. wants to fund research targeting better cybersecurity for the nation’s power grid and the oil and natural gas industry, less than a month after web attacks hobbled electronic communications for several pipeline operators.

The agency is making $25 million in grants available for projects that pursue new approaches to making the energy sector more resilient to cyberattacks. The deadline for applications is June 18, according to a statement Monday.

Earlier this month, at least seven U.S. pipeline companies said their electronic communications systems were shut down, with five confirming the disruptions were caused by a web attack. The threat followed a U.S. government warning in March that Russian hackers are conducting an assault on the electric grid and other targets.

U.S. Offers $25 Million Cybersecurity Grant After Pipe Attacks

In February, Energy Secretary Rick Perry announced the department would use $96 million in funding to create an office to address cyber threats to energy.

“Energy cybersecurity is a national priority that demands the next wave of advanced technologies to create more secure and resilient systems,” Perry said in the statement Monday.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ryan Collins in Houston at rcollins74@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Reg Gale at rgale5@bloomberg.net, Christine Buurma

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