Fox News Rundown: Michael Balboni on Infrastructure Threats

Earlier this month, residents in Moore County, North Carolina experienced a massive power outage after two electric substations were destroyed by targeted gunfire. 45,000 homes and businesses have been left without power and heat as freezing temperatures take hold.

Michael Balboni, President and Managing Director of Redland Strategiesand former Homeland Security Advisor, recently joined the Fox News Rundown to discuss the attack in Moore County and how utility hubs can bolster their security. According to Balboni, infrastructure protection requires key components such as physical security measures, detection systems, surveillance cameras, and a good response capability should someone be detected in the area. He believes that while cyber threats are evolving, physical threats can have devastating consequences and should not be discounted.

He also shared his experience while he was sitting on the Domestic Terrorism Task Force for New York State, and together they have been looking at the issue of domestic terrorism as a whole. There are a lot of different ideological perspectives on these motivations, and there is some indication that some groups may seek to take down portions of the power grid.

Balboni also expressed his concern about copycats in the future, noting that it’s always the most dangerous scenario when someone posts on social media about an attack like this. As news of the attack spreads, it is important for stakeholders to remain vigilant and aware of the potential threats that exist. With the right defense mechanisms in place, utility hubs can protect our infrastructure from future attacks.  

“The threats evolve. We need to evolve with them”.