Cybersecurity and Energy Companies Converge at MCI Summit in Vicksburg
Vicksburg, MS —Mississippi took a bold step toward securing its energy future earlier this month as the Mississippi Cyber Initiative (MCI) hosted its quarterly summit and Cyber Tabletop Exercise (CTTX) at the Thad Cochran Mississippi Center for Innovation and Technology (MCITy) in Vicksburg. The two-day event, held Nov. 4-5, brought together cybersecurity professionals, energy sector leaders, and government stakeholders to address the growing intersection of cyber threats and energy infrastructure.
A central feature of the summit was the CTTX focused on the energy sector, offering participants a hands-on simulation of cyberattack scenarios targeting critical energy systems. The exercise aimed to strengthen the network of energy companies throughout our state and continue to foster collaboration between public and private entities. Attendees included representatives from utility companies Entergy, Southern Pine Cooperative, Southern Power Company, state and federal cybersecurity agencies, and IT administrators from other sectors, all working together to identify vulnerabilities and share best practices for risk mitigation.
Mississippi District 23 Senator Briggs Hopson highlighted the importance of reliability in the state’s energy systems, noting that “our energy sector is a critical resource with ties to every aspect of our lives. A disruption in service can be catastrophic to our communities and our state resources.”
“As Mississippi continues to court high-tech industries and energy-intensive manufacturing, the integration of cybersecurity into energy planning is becoming a strategic imperative,” said MCI Director Martin Rivera. “The MCI Summit and CTTX marks a significant milestone in that journey, reinforcing the state’s commitment to innovation, resilience, and leadership in the evolving energy landscape.”
“Cybersecurity cannot be a siloed concern, everyone needs to be a contributing partner to energy resilience,” said Robert Eikhof, Special Agent in Charge FBI Jackson.
This two-day event marks the third CTTX in the last year, with the other two focusing on healthcare and maritime port cybersecurity scenarios. Rivera said that these exercises are a testament to the growing momentum and deepening collaboration among industry, state and federal agencies, as MCI continues to strengthen interagency coordination and resilience through shared experiences.
The event’s distinguished lineup of speakers included representatives from ERDCWERX, the Energy Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC), U.S. Cyber Command, Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), the Mississippi Development Authority, SERC Reliability Corporation, the Transportation Security Administration/Federal Air Marshal Service, the FBI Cyber and UAS Divisions, and Meridian Cooperative.
For more information on the Mississippi Cyber Initiative and upcoming exercises, visit www.mscyberinitiative.org.
