DOE and Sandia say an AI tool detects and locates grid cyber-physical threats with 95% accuracy
The Department of Energy's Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response and Sandia National Laboratories describe work under CESER's AI-FORTS initiative that uses large language models and generative AI to automate the data-engineering stage of grid threat detection, cutting a process that took about two months down to a few hours while detecting and localising threats with 95% accuracy. DOE says the next phase of the research is directed at AI hallucination, where a model generates inaccurate or fabricated output — a failure mode it treats as a particular risk in critical-infrastructure protection.
US agencies warn attackers are using AI-generated scripts to target Siemens S7 industrial controllers
A joint advisory (AA26-231A) from the NSA, CISA, FBI, DOE and EPA warned that threat actors are running persistent reconnaissance and capability development against internet-exposed Siemens S7 programmable logic controllers with weak or default credentials, and are using AI-assisted development to rapidly iterate exploit code — including AI-generated Python scripts that call the snap7.dll library to read PLC memory and configuration. The agencies called it an active threat rather than a theoretical risk and listed critical manufacturing, energy, water and wastewater, chemical, food and agriculture, and commercial facilities as targeted sectors; no threat actor was attributed.
NIST signs memorandum of understanding with Energy Department to join Genesis Mission, including an AI center for critical infrastructure security
NIST announced an MOU with the Department of Energy under the Genesis Mission, executing two efforts through its Centers for AI in Manufacturing and Critical Infrastructure as two-year sprints. One is an AI Economic Security Center to Secure U.S. Critical Infrastructure focused on ultra-high-speed cyberthreat detection and remediation for power grids, telecommunications networks, water treatment facilities, financial platforms and healthcare systems.