Iowa State Professor Delivers Lecture on Securing Power Grids Against AI Cyberthreats
On Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, approximately 20 students and faculty gathered in 108 Chambers Building in University Park, Pa., to hear Iowa State University Professor Manimaran Govindarasu lecture on the growing risks artificial intelligence poses to energy infrastructure.
Technical difficulties pushed the start time back by several minutes. Despite the hurdle, Govindarasu delivered an hourlong presentation examining how malicious actors leverage AI across cybercrimes and espionage.
Vulnerabilities in Internet Foundations and Power Systems
Govindarasu, who serves as an Anson Marston Distinguished Professor in Engineering and the Murray J. and Ruth M. Harpole Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Iowa State University, detailed how cybersecurity professionals now utilize AI algorithms to uncover foundational weaknesses in the web, pointing to PHP—the programming language underlying roughly 70% of websites.
The convergence of rapid AI proliferation and escalating digital threats demands deeper investigations into safeguarding power grids. To combat attacks enhanced or generated by machine learning, Govindarasu suggested implementing stringent defense mechanisms, such as a zero-trust architecture. This framework enforces rigorous authorization and access controls, raising the barrier for successful breaches.
The Need for an Adversarial Defense Mindset
Govindarasu brings years of power grid security research to his lectures, backed by funding from academic bodies and federal agencies including the U.S. Department of Energy and the Department of Defense. In an interview following the event, he emphasized that defenders must adopt an adversarial mindset to effectively counter infrastructure threats.
Iowa State's Manimaran Govindarasu: Protect the power grid by using AI security tools against AI attack tools.📰https://t.co/CuPFXVQW8u pic.twitter.com/YGOZE0n28g
The whole national security and economic security is centered around the security and resiliency of the grid infrastructure. If AI-based adversarial models are going to be leveraged by adversaries, could be hackers or terrorist groups, they can target our critical infrastructure, Govindasaru said. The first thing for a defender to understand is what adversaries can do so that we can stay ahead of the game in terms of using those same solutions for developing the most advanced security solutions.
Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration in Engineering Education
Nilanjan Chaudhuri, a professor in the College of Engineering who focuses on AI and energy systems, echoed Govindarasu’s perspective on the dual-use nature of artificial intelligence. According to Chaudhuri, mitigating risks to critical infrastructure requires cooperation across multiple technical disciplines.
Chaudhuri noted that power systems represent a significant challenge regarding cybersecurity threats to our critical infrastructure. He explained that addressing these issues requires looking beyond electrical engineering to find opportunities for mitigation. He described the field as a multidisciplinary area where students can utilize their skills, grow professionally, and prepare for future career opportunities.
Addressing Decades-Old Infrastructure Risks
Among the attendees was Steve Zukley, a student pursuing a master’s degree in electrical engineering who attended the lecture as part of his coursework. Zukley noted that the intersection of AI and cybersecurity was an angle he had not previously considered.
Given that much of the United States power grid relies on computer systems that are several decades old, keeping pace with contemporary threats remains a pressing concern. Zukley remarked that power grid failures during extreme weather events like heat waves or blizzards could lead to fatalities, and he noted that while quantum computing is still a future prospect, AI technologies are currently available to both those securing the grid and those looking to compromise it.
