First in a two-part series for Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Ransomware became a household word earlier this year when the Colonial Pipeline, a major fuel delivery source on the East Coast, was shut down for several days after hackers attacked the company's billing system. These highly disruptive and costly network intrusions are on the rise in the United States and globally, and businesses across the spectrum are being targeted. How can electric cooperatives avoid becoming victims of this sophisticated malware? And what should they do if they are attacked?

To answer those and other questions, we're joined by Ryan Newlon, NRECA's principal for cybersecurity solutions, and Dave Eisenreich, a special agent with the FBI in the Cyber Division and that group's liaison to the energy sector.

Stay tuned next week for more on cybersecurity from Along Those Lines.