Join us on October 7, 2019 from 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM at Yale University’s Kroon Hall for a discussion on Cybersecurity: Tension Between Innovation and Security.
As we modernize our electric infrastructure and deploy smart meters and other advanced technologies, we continue to face data breaches and ongoing attempts to disrupt the power grid. This timely event will explore the tensions between innovation and security as panelists consider the implications of greater access to real time customer information and how to secure that data. On the grid side, generators are the backbone to providing power required to keep the lights on. But these key infrastructure components face threats to both their cyber and physical infrastructure. Whether customer-facing or grid-facing, this panel will discuss some of the implications a cyberattack could have on the grid and present practical tools to prepare for system disruptions.
(Bios Available Below)
Moderator:
- Arthur House, Connecticut Chief Cybersecurity Risk Officer
Panelists:
- Conor Phoenix, Supervisory Special Agent, FBI, New Haven, Cyber Squad
- Steven Cash, Counsel, Day Pitney LLP
- Benjamin Loebick, Manager of Smart Meter System Operations, UIL Holdings Corporation
NOTE: 1 CLE credit eligible
Arthur House, Connecticut Chief Cybersecurity Risk Officer
Arthur House became Chief Cybersecurity Risk Officer for the State of Connecticut in October 2016 after four years as Chairman of Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority. His current work includes work on cybersecurity strategy and action plans with Black Sea Region countries and with several Balkan countries. He holds a Top Secret security clearance.
House has a background in national security, having served as Director of Communications in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and as Chief of the Communications Group for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, a combat support agency of the U.S. Department of Defense. As a White House Fellow, he was Special Projects Officer at the National Security Council.
Conor Phoenix, Supervisory Special Agent, FBI, New Haven, Cyber Squad
Conor Phoenix is the Supervisory Special Agent of the Cyber squad in the FBI’s New Haven Field Office. The Cyber squad is responsible for investigating both national security and criminal computer intrusions and other high-tech activities that are in violation of U.S. federal law and where prosecution of such violations would have venue within the District of Connecticut.
Conor graduated from the University of Florida in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and earned a law degree from the College of William and Mary’s Marshall Wythe School of Law in 1996. Conor entered on duty as a FBI Special Agent in April 2002, and from 2002 through 2011, Conor was assigned to the New Haven Field Office, where he worked a wide variety of cyber investigations. In mid-2011, Conor was promoted to the FBI’s Cyber Division in Chantilly, Virginia. While there, Conor played a significant role in the development and implementation of strategy and policies affecting the cyber program throughout the FBI.
Conor returned to the New Haven Field Office in late 2014, after departing an assignment to the FBI’s Legal Attaché office in London. Upon returning, Conor helped form New Haven’s Cyber Task Force, which is currently comprised of 21 federal, state and local investigators. Conor was the co-case agent of an investigation which led to the 2017 arrest and subsequent extradition of a Russian hacker; and, in September 2019, Conor received his promotion as the Cyber squad’s supervisor.
In his off-time, Conor is currently pursuing a Masters of Science in Computer Science at the University of New Haven.
Steven Cash, Counsel, Day Pitney LLP
Steven Cash represents individual and corporate clients in criminal, commercial litigation and national security matters.
Steven has broad experience at the federal and state level in the executive, legislative and judicial branches. He was Chief Counsel and Staff Director (Minority) to the U.S. Senate’s Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology, and Homeland Security, and Chief Counsel to Senator Dianne Feinstein. He has also served as Chief of Staff to the Director of Intelligence, Department of Energy; as Staff Director to the U.S. House of Representative’s Select Committee on Homeland Security; and as a Professional Staff Member and Counsel to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Steven was deeply involved in much of the legislation developed after the 9/11 attacks, including the USA-Patriot Act, the Department of Homeland Security Act and the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, which created the position of Director of National Intelligence. Steven also served as an Intelligence Officer with the Central Intelligence Agency, first as an Assistant General Counsel and then, with the Directorate of Operations.
Before joining federal service, Steven served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Rackets Bureau and Trial Division of the New York County District Attorney’s Office in Manhattan. There, he investigated and tried numerous cases, ranging from violent crime to industry corruption.
Steven is the owner and founder of Deck Prism, LLC, a consulting firm specializing in providing assistance to U.S. and state government entities engaged in national security, homeland security and law enforcement. Prior to 2008, Steven was a principal and counsel at PRTM Management Consultants (since merged with PriceWaterhouseCoopers), focusing on consulting with government clients involved in national security and law enforcement issues.
Steven was a law clerk to the Honorable Thomas P. Griesa in the Southern District of New York
Benjamin Loebick, Manager of Smart Meter System Operations, UIL Holdings Corporation
Benjamin has worked at United Illuminating (UI) for over 11 years, progressing to be Manager of Smart Meter Systems Operations – CT. With over 20 years of utilities experience, he has previously worked for Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation, for Northeast Utilities, and for a telephone company in Prague, Czech Republic before joining UI.
At UI he leads a highly skilled team of analysts who are responsible for all data collected by meters, using it to identify network or meter issues, possible customer electrical problems, and potential energy theft, among other things. He is responsible for the daily operations of the Meter Data Management System, MV90 interval data system, the dual AMI/AMR network and the PI Historian system. As the keeper of all meter data, his team is integrated into outage management, the customer web portal and the meter-to-cash processes. Additionally he has broad experience with distributed generation, data analytics, meter data processes, customer billing and customer care.
Benjamin has a BS and MS in Civil Engineering, an MBA in Finance and Organizational Behavior, and holds a Professional Engineering license in the state of Connecticut.
