Dorchester County first critical infrastructure summit tackles security threats
Officials say in an era of evolving threats, proactive collaboration is the key to protecting Dorchester County's essential services.
The summit will bring together key public and private sector stakeholders to strengthen partnerships, security, and resilience of critical infrastructure in the county.
Officials say they will discuss the current threat landscape, mitigation strategies, and available resources with business leaders, infrastructure operators, emergency managers, and public safety professionals.
'A successful Critical Infrastructure Protection program relies on strong partnerships with private-sector stakeholders, who own and operate the majority of these essential assets,' said Dorchester County officials.
County officials added those partners include SC Ports Authority, SC State Law Enforcement Division, Dominion Energy, FBI Columbia, and CISA.
The meeting is scheduled on Thursday, March 6, beginning at noon at the Dorchester Emergency Operations Center.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
2 days ago
- Forbes
What CISOs Need To Know About Identity Governance Across OT And IT
Peter Hill is the chief executive officer of Gathid. As the boundaries between operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) dissolve, identity is becoming the connective tissue and the point of greatest vulnerability. Industrial and critical infrastructure organizations are digitizing rapidly. From connected sensors to hybrid cloud platforms, the convergence of OT and IT brings undeniable operational advantages. But for security leaders, it introduces a complex, fragmented identity landscape that's difficult to see, govern and secure. For today's CISOs, the question is no longer whether OT and IT should be integrated. It's how to manage access and enforce identity governance in environments that were never designed to work together. The Identity Challenge At The Heart Of OT/IT Convergence Traditional identity and access management (IAM) systems were built for IT. They often assume cloud-ready environments, API access and a single source of truth. OT, on the other hand, remains a world of legacy systems, air-gapped networks, vendor-owned software and local admin accounts. This disjointed architecture leads to significant governance challenges: • No unified visibility across all identities (human and machine) • Dormant or orphaned accounts in OT systems remain active • Excessive privileges and toxic role combinations go unnoticed • Manual access reviews are unreliable and out of date by the time they're completed • Audits become operational burdens due to a lack of centralized evidence For CISOs, this identity debt is not theoretical. It's a real risk: operational, reputational and regulatory. Why The Old Playbook Doesn't Work Many organizations attempt to extend their IT IAM tools into OT. However, these platforms often require full integrations, modern protocols and constant connectivity—things OT environments can't always provide. And even when integration is possible, it's invasive. Retrofitting centralized IAM into OT networks may require architecture changes, incur downtime or expose systems to unnecessary risk. Security leaders don't just need to control access. They need to fully understand it, continuously and contextually, without adding complexity or breaking mission-critical operations. A Strategic Solution: Digital Twins Plus Knowledge Graphs To bridge the identity governance gap, CISOs are turning to more adaptive, data-driven models, specifically digital twins and knowledge graphs. A digital twin creates a virtual representation of your identity ecosystem, spanning both OT and IT systems. It maps every user, account, permission and role, providing a dynamic view of who has access to what and why. Unlike traditional IAM, this model doesn't require bidirectional integration. It works with disconnected or air-gapped systems, making it especially suited to high-security OT environments. Benefits for CISOs: • See the full access landscape across all domains. • Monitor changes as they happen. • Continuously validate least privilege and policy compliance. • Gain board-level visibility into identity-related risk. Where digital twins give you the map, knowledge graphs show the structure. They model the relationships between people, systems, roles and policies, revealing patterns, risks and dependencies. With knowledge graphs, CISOs can: • Identify cross-system privilege creep. • Detect conflicting roles before they become vulnerabilities. • Tie service accounts back to owners and justify permissions. • Analyze the downstream impact of access changes. Together, digital twins and knowledge graphs form a risk intelligence layer for identity, delivering insights that most IAM tools miss. What CISOs Should Do Next: Five Strategic Steps To mature identity and access governance across converged OT and IT environments, CISOs should prioritize these actions: 1. Inventory the full identity landscape. Start with a complete audit of all identities: employees, contractors, third parties, service accounts and machine users. Map where access is granted and how it's governed, especially in non-centralized OT systems. 2. Build a unified identity model. Leverage digital twin technology to consolidate and continuously update your access map. This creates the foundation for scalable governance and auditability. 3. Uncover hidden risk through relationships. Use knowledge graphs to reveal toxic access paths, role conflicts and overprovisioned accounts. Context is key. Understanding how access is used and why is as important as knowing it exists. 4. Automate reviews and compliance checks. Manual reviews are slow, expensive and outdated before they're completed. Shift to ongoing validation of access rights and policy adherence. Make audits self-serve and always-on. 5. Enforce least privilege with confidence. Privilege management only works when it's grounded in accurate, current data. Use identity modeling and graph-based insights to enforce role-based access and eliminate unnecessary privileges, especially for sensitive OT systems. Why This Matters: Identity As A Modern Threat Vector Attackers no longer break in. They log in. Whether it's compromised credentials, privilege escalation or insider misuse, identity is now the attack surface of choice. And in OT/IT converged environments, the stakes are even higher. A breach in a misconfigured identity could mean more than just data loss. It could halt production, disrupt energy grids or impact public safety. For CISOs, this is not just a technology challenge; it's a boardroom imperative. Visibility, control and auditability of access across all environments must be provable, scalable and immediate. Identity Governance Without Borders The convergence of OT and IT is inevitable. Yet fragmented identity governance doesn't have to be. By embracing modern modeling technologies—digital twins for continuous visibility and knowledge graphs for contextual intelligence—CISOs can gain the insight and oversight they need. This isn't about replacing existing tools. It's about complementing them with intelligence that closes gaps, reduces risk and transforms compliance from a burden into a strength. In a world where identity is the new perimeter, understanding access is not optional. It's foundational. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
XKIG Acquires River City Construction
Acquisition Offers Significant Opportunity for Future Growth NORFOLK, Va., Aug. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, XKIG, a national leader in critical infrastructure services for the power and gas utility sectors, announced the acquisition of River City Construction, a rapidly growing provider of construction and maintenance services for electric, telecommunications, and renewable energy utilities. Since 1975, River City has expanded its service offerings to meet the needs of communities across the Mid-Atlantic region, including services in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. Over the years, River City has nurtured deep customer relationships with large investor-owned utilities, rural electric cooperatives, and municipal utility companies with a commitment to safety and operational excellence. "This is a pivotal time in our company's history," said Randolph Hoover, Chief Executive Officer of XKIG. "River City is a solid fit for XKIG, with a shared mission and dedication to utility customers and the communities they serve. River City shares several large regional customers with XKIG's other subsidiaries, Xylem Tree Experts and Kendall Vegetation Services, and with this acquisition, we now offer an even stronger proposition to these utilities as well as the broader national market." "River City is excited to be a part of XKIG, and we look forward to the months ahead," adds River City President Cindy Edwards. "We have experienced significant expansion in recent years, and by joining XKIG, we will leverage that momentum to move into new regions across the nation. With a common commitment to technological innovation, a culture of safety, employee well-being, and continuous improvement in all areas of operations, River City and XKIG's other subsidiaries will capitalize on a range of synergistic opportunities." About XKIG XKIG is a national leader in critical infrastructure services for the power and gas utility sectors, specializing in the development and maintenance of rights-of-way; the construction, upgrade, and upkeep of transmission and distribution systems; vegetation management; and disaster restoration. Headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, with a legacy spanning over 50 years, XKIG operates through its subsidiaries—Xylem Tree Experts, Kendall Vegetation Services, and River City Construction—to support the safe, reliable delivery of energy across the United States. Together, these companies maintain and protect essential utility infrastructure, ensuring operational continuity for millions of Americans. When natural disasters strike, XKIG's rapid-response teams are among the first on the ground, restoring critical services and strengthening community resilience. Driven by an unwavering commitment to the communities it serves, XKIG combines next-generation technologies, uncompromising safety standards, and industry-leading workforce retention to deliver operational excellence at scale. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE XKIG Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Associated Press
30-07-2025
- Associated Press
MPR Associates and High Reliability Group Form Novellum Partners LLC to Accelerate Advanced Nuclear Technology Deployment
ALEXANDRIA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 30, 2025-- MPR Associates, Inc., a leading engineering and consulting firm, and High Reliability Group LLC, a premier operational excellence consultancy, today announced the formation of Novellum Partners LLC, a joint venture energy and critical infrastructure innovation and strategy consultancy with an initial focus on catalyzing the successful deployment of advanced nuclear technology. Novellum Partners complements MPR's 60+ years of engineering and project delivery expertise and High Reliability Group's proven track record in operational excellence and high-reliability organization development. The new firm is positioned to be the premier strategic advisor in meeting the growing demand for power to support critical infrastructure, such as datacenters. Addressing Critical Market Need The formation of Novellum Partners responds to the unprecedented demand for dispatchable, clean, reliable power driven by artificial intelligence data centers, and industrial loads. With advanced nuclear and other technology moving from development to commercial deployment, there is a critical need for specialized advisory services that can bridge the gap between innovative technology development and successful market implementation. 'The advanced nuclear industry stands at a pivotal moment,' said Bob Coward, Executive Partner of Novellum Partners and former Principal Officer of MPR Associates. 'We have proven technologies ready for deployment, but success requires more than just engineering excellence – it also demands integrated expertise in project and risk management, operations, regulatory strategy, and commercial execution. Novellum Partners brings together the precise combination of capabilities and insights needed to turn the advanced nuclear promise into commercial reality.' Unique Value Proposition Novellum Partners will deliver exceptional value through technical expertise, operational intelligence, and organizational insight to drive innovation and transformational success in critical energy and infrastructure projects. The firm's founding focus centers on accelerating advanced nuclear deployment to strengthen America's energy independence, national security, and economic competitiveness. The firm plans to extend its transformational impact to adjacent mission-critical infrastructure sectors, applying proven methodologies to drive exceptional outcomes across the broader infrastructure landscape. Bob Koonce, Executive Partner of Novellum Partners and Founder of High Reliability Group, emphasized the strategic importance of operational excellence in supporting our growing demand for energy. 'Advanced nuclear technology represents our best path forward for dispatchable, clean, reliable energy, but deployment success requires world-class operational excellence from day one. Our mission is to ensure that these critical projects not only meet their technical objectives but exceed their operational and commercial goals.' Market Opportunity The global advanced nuclear market is projected to grow exponentially over the next decade, with the United States positioned to lead in both technology development and commercial deployment. Novellum Partners is strategically positioned to be an influential enabler of that growth by addressing the critical gap between technological innovation and commercial success. 'We see tremendous opportunity in assembling leadership and talent from across industries to help advanced nuclear stakeholders navigate the journey from technology development and demonstration to fleet deployment,' noted current MPR Principal Officer Tom Lubnow. 'More broadly, with continuing technical innovation from MPR and the addition of Novellum Partners' strategic insight, we will help unleash a full suite of next-generation energy solutions to drive the infrastructure needs for our future economy and security.' About MPR Associates, Inc. MPR Associates is an employee-owned specialty technical and program management services firm founded in 1964 and headquartered in Alexandria, VA, with branch offices in East Lyme, CT, Burlington, MA, and Salt Lake City, UT. The company provides industry-leading, technology development, project management, and asset management services globally, with over 400 active clients in power, health and life sciences, and the federal government. For more information, visit About High Reliability Group LLC Founded in 2016, High Reliability Group specializes in operational excellence consulting for high-consequence industries, with particular expertise in nuclear safety culture, organizational effectiveness, and performance improvement. HRG works with leading energy companies to implement world-class operational standards and safety culture programs. For more information, visit About Novellum Partners LLC Novellum Partners is a strategic consulting firm dedicated to empowering executives and decision-makers to transform complex technical, commercial, and regulatory challenges into successful business outcomes. With a founding focus on accelerating advanced nuclear technology deployment, Novellum Partners combines rigorous technical expertise with operational intelligence and organizational insight to drive innovation and transformational success in critical energy and infrastructure projects. The firm is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia. View source version on CONTACT: Media Contact: Bob Koonce Novellum Partners LLC 320 King Street, Suite 401 Alexandria, VA 22314 Phone: 703-722-0170 Email:[email protected] Web: KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA VIRGINIA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: CONTRACTS OTHER ENERGY PROFESSIONAL SERVICES NUCLEAR ALTERNATIVE ENERGY ENERGY TECHNOLOGY DEFENSE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ENGINEERING CONSULTING MANUFACTURING SOURCE: MPR Associates, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 07/30/2025 05:24 PM/DISC: 07/30/2025 05:24 PM
