How DeltaGrid Energy's network of Smart Meters, substations, edge IoT devices (PLCs, SCADA gateways, line monitors), and AI-driven control applications (hosted across AWS, Azure, and on-prem K3s clusters) were secured with Hopr's Korvette WoSPs.
In 2024, the energy sector saw a dramatic 70% surge in cyberattacks compared to the previous year. Infrastructure managers and operators like DeltaGrid Energy faced a new wave of cyber threats
that probed and attacked sensitive IoT devices, API endpoints, and AI control applications.
Hopr's Korvette™ WoSPs enable DeltaGrid Energy to secure its IoT devices, APIs, and AI applications without a loss of agility
DeltaGrid collects data from smart meters and environmental sensors across the grid which continuously send telemetry (e.g., voltage, current, temperature, usage patterns) to DeltaGrid’s AI model hosted on AWS. The data is transmitted via APIs using static tokens or long-lived identity certificates, vulnerable to credential theft and session hijacking.
The AI model analyzes the data telemetry to predict hotspots or transformer stress points. It generates an automated decision to initiate load reduction in specific zones — targeting devices like thermostats or meters. Without real-time identity trust verification of API endpoints malicious data could be used when it arrives with a compromised token.
Based on the decisions of its AI application, the DeltaGrid control system sends API instructions back to specific customer smart meters and connected devices to reduce the load or shift usage. Without identity trust verification, attackers could redirect or forge control commands, causing physical disruption or service denial.
The DeltaGrid smart meters and IoT devices acknowledge the command, and send updated operational status back to the AI system for ongoing analysis in a continuous feedback loop. A compromised or cloned IoT device can send false feedback without ephemeral identity verification and encrypted, tamper-evident telemetry, the system can be gamed.
DeltaGrid Energy operates critical energy infrastructure across multiple US States and has a growing number of AI applications to process large amounts of sensor data and adjust control systems in real-time to avoid loss of service.
They deployed Korvette-S WoSPs within their cloud environments, and Korvette-SE WoSPs at the edge with customers and other energy networks to build a Zero Trust network.
Korvette WoSPs, designed for the Zero Trust era, assured secure and trusted internal and edge API transactions.
DeltaGrid Energy's API protections could not verify identity trust, nor prevent AI-attacks that abused stolen API keys.
