[April 12, 2012]

Survey: Energy Security Pros Split on Hype Surrounding Smart Meter Privacy Issues

nCircle, the leader in information risk and security performance management, today announced the results of a survey of 104 security professionals in the energy and utility industry. The survey was sponsored by nCircle and EnergySec, a DOE-funded public-private partnership that works to enhance the cyber security of the electric infrastructure. The online survey was conducted between March 12 and March 31, 2012.

When asked, "Has the hype around privacy issues associated with smart meter consumer data been overblown?" 53% said "yes" and 47% said "no".

"Smart Grid meter privacy is still a new area," said Patrick Miller, CEO of EnergySec. "State regulations are inconsistent and sensitive customer details in smart grid data vary from utility to utility. I expect to the smart grid industry to struggle with several challenges around who ultimately 'owns' customer data. There are several grey areas that impact how smart grid customer data will be used as the industry attempts to maximize revenue potential. Even seemingly innocuous customer data has significant value -- just ask Facebook (News - Alert) or Google."

Elizabeth Ireland, vice presidet of marketing for nCircle, noted, "We haven't seen a significant breach of smart meter consumer data yet so it's natural to see a difference of opinion between energy security professionals on the front lines. As with any type of digital information, there are professionals that are very concerned about privacy and believe a breach is inevitable and those that have a more optimistic viewpoint. It's encouraging to see this discussion happening in advance of a data breach when additional protection for smart grid customers can still be implemented."

More information on the nCircle EnergySec Smart Grid survey is available here: http://www.ncircle.com/index.php?s=resources_surveys_Survey-SmartGrid-2012#smartmeterprivacy.

About nCircle

nCircle is the leading provider of information risk and security performance management solutions to more than 6,500 businesses and government agencies worldwide. nCircle solutions enable enterprises of all sizes to (1) automate compliance and reduce risk, and (2) measure and compare the performance of their IT security program with their own goals and industry peers. nCircle solutions may be deployed on a customer's premises, as a cloud-based service, or in combination, for maximum flexibility and value.

nCircle has won numerous awards for growth, innovation, customer satisfaction and technology leadership and has been ranked among the top 100 best places to work in the San Francisco Bay Area. nCircle is headquartered in San Francisco, CA (News - Alert), with regional offices throughout the United States and in London and Toronto. To learn how you can more effectively protect your company visit us at http://www.ncircle.com.

nCircle is a registered trademark of nCircle Network Security, Inc. All other registered or unregistered trademarks are the sole property of their respective owners.

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