Mr. Lauriat has more than 20 years of experience in computer networking and cyber security. This has included project delivery, development of reliable and secure networks, SCADA network security, assessment of cyber assets, creation of cyber security specifications and policy, and redesign of network security measures.
Since joining NST in 2003, Mr. Lauriat has lead NST’s delivery efforts, ensuring dozens of simultaneous projects are delivered on-time, on-budget and with solutions that delight NST’s clients. Today, Mr. Lauriat leads N&ST’s NERC CIP compliance practice, working with N&ST’s consultants and clients to solve challenging NERC CIP compliance problems.
As a consultant, Mr. Lauriat has helped utilities develop sustainable approaches to NERC CIP compliance, especially CIP-002, CIP-005, CIP-007, and CIP-010. His activities have included identification of BES Cyber Assets (and BES Cyber Systems), establishment of Electronic Security Perimeters / Electronic Access Controls, vulnerability assessments, development of remediation plans, execution of remediation activities, RSAW preparation, mock auditing, and audit representation. Recently, Mr. Lauriat has worked with numerous power generation plants – including plants that have Medium Impact BES Cyber Systems – to develop and maintain NERC CIP compliance programs. Mr. Lauriat has also led NERC CIP vulnerability assessments for substations with Medium Impact BES Cyber Systems. These projects have required Mr. Lauriat to create innovative and clever solutions to both improve cyber security and better demonstrate compliance.
Mr. Lauriat first started working in the electric power industry in 2001, leading a project to separate a production SCADA network from a business network without interrupting real-time activities. Ever since, Mr. Lauriat has been enamored with the electric power industry – becoming a teacher for NST’s team of consultants, while still being a student, excited to learn the secrets, nuances and history of the industry.
Mr. Lauriat began his professional career with GTE Internetworking (BBN) in 1998. While at BBN, Mr. Lauriat developed expertise in TCP/IP based networks and applications as well as security technologies. Major clients at BBN included a nationwide communications company, a large financial services institution and several international telephone companies. During this time, Mr. Lauriat performed numerous evaluations of client networks and lead efforts to address findings from those evaluations to help clients build dependable and secure networks. Following his tenure at BBN, Mr. Lauriat worked for two different small professional services firms. At those firms, he led several strategic consulting programs delivering security expertise in a way that exceeded customer expectations for quality, schedule and price.
Mr. Lauriat received a Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, from Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont. While at Middlebury College, he majored in Computer Science, and earned a degree with departmental honors. Mr. Lauriat has also held certifications from Cisco and Check Point in computer networking and network security.
