As ubiquitous as the electric power supply is in the US, so is Internet access - and not by coincidence. Electricity is needed to power the Internet and increasingly, the Internet is needed to provide power. Average citizens do not comprehend the complexity and interdependences that have evolved with 100 year old legacy power grid architectures combined with networked microprocessors.

For more than 24 years, Rita has been working on real-time programming control systems, life safety systems, and weapon systems. For the past 11 years, she's focused her analysis on cyber security impacts to critical infrastructure focusing on the energy sector – electric grid and pipelines. She has briefed Congressional committees, and cabinet-level officials on cyber security of critical infrastructure.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx