The Hidden Data Risks in Utility Operations

During a recent meeting with a major utility, I listened as an executive casually mentioned, "We just email the customer CSV when the analytics team needs it." The statement transported me back to my time transforming data security in the mortgage industry.

While leading technology teams at Better, I witnessed firsthand how traditional mortgage brokers routinely emailed credit reports containing social security numbers and complete financial histories—some of the most sensitive personal information possible. We solved this by building centralized, browser-based systems with comprehensive audit trails that kept sensitive data off endpoints entirely.

But there's a critical difference: an emailed mortgage application risks exposing one customer's data. A utility CSV can contain information for thousands of households at once, magnifying the potential impact.

This common practice across the energy sector isn't just a procedural quirk—it represents a significant and growing risk as data privacy regulations evolve. Let's examine why these practices emerged and how we can address them without disrupting critical operations.

#How We Got Here: The Utility Data Challenge

Unlike financial services or healthcare, the energy sector developed with a clear mandate: deliver reliable power. This singular focus naturally prioritized operational technology over information technology.

The result? A landscape where disconnected legacy systems communicate through manual data transfers. When System A needs data from System B, the simplest solution has always been: "Let's pull a CSV and send it over."

This approach persists for understandable reasons:

• Different Regulatory Focus: While banks face GLBA and healthcare providers navigate HIPAA, utilities have historically focused on reliability standards rather than data privacy
• Complex Legacy Infrastructure: Many utilities operate core systems designed decades ago, optimized for reliability rather than secure data sharing
• Operational Priorities: When keeping the grid running is the primary mission, data governance naturally becomes secondary
• Specialized Expertise: Utilities excel at power engineering but may have fewer resources dedicated to modern data security

The consequence is an environment where sensitive customer data regularly travels through channels designed for convenience rather than security.

#The Unintended Consequences of CSV Sharing

When energy companies share customer data via CSV files, several significant risks emerge:

#1. The Uncontrolled Proliferation Problem

Once sent, a CSV exists in multiple locations immediately:

• The sender's email system
• The email provider's servers
• The recipient's inbox

From there, it often spreads further:

• Downloads to local computers
• Copies to shared drives
• Forwards to colleagues
• Multiple device syncs
• Long-term storage in download folders

Each copy represents an unmanaged vulnerability. When data needs updating or access should be revoked, there's simply no way to manage all these copies.

#2. The Missing Audit Trail

One of the most significant challenges with file-based sharing is the complete absence of visibility once the data leaves your system.

When a CSV containing customer information is shared:

• No Access Records: There's no way to know who viewed the file, when they accessed it, or how they used it
• No Change Tracking: Any modifications, filtering, or exports remain invisible
• No Authorization Verification: No mechanism to ensure only authorized personnel accessed the data

Incident Response Challenges

If a potential breach occurs, determining scope becomes nearly impossible:

• Unknown Proliferation: No record of how many copies exist or where they're stored
• Uncertain Timeline: Cannot establish when the data might have been compromised
• Limited Containment Options: No way to verify when all instances have been secured

A Common Scenario

Consider this situation that plays out regularly:

1. An energy efficiency team requests customer usage data for program targeting
2. The billing department exports a CSV with customer information and consumption patterns
3. Months later, an employee's laptop is compromised in a phishing attack
4. The utility cannot determine:
   • Whether the CSV was on that device
   • Which specific customer records might be affected
   • If the data has been accessed by unauthorized parties

This scenario has led to significant regulatory penalties in other industries. In the utility space, it often goes unaddressed because there's no system to detect the potential exposure.

#3. The Endpoint Vulnerability

Modern security frameworks operate on the premise that endpoint devices will eventually be compromised. This is why secure systems keep sensitive data off local devices entirely.

Yet each CSV distribution creates new endpoint risks through:

• Device theft or loss
• Malware infections
• Credential compromises
• Use of unmanaged personal devices

#The Shifting Regulatory Landscape

While the energy sector has operated with comparatively limited data privacy oversight, this environment is changing quickly:

#Global Precedents

In Europe, GDPR specifically includes energy consumption data as protected personal information. This recognition acknowledges that utility data can reveal:

• Occupancy patterns
• Daily routines and lifestyle
• Household composition
• Economic status
• Potential health information through usage patterns

European energy providers face substantial penalties for mishandling this information.

#U.S. Regulatory Evolution

The American regulatory framework is evolving in a similar direction:

• State privacy laws are broadening definitions of protected personal information
• Broad personal information definitions in laws like California's CCPA/CPRA would encompass utility data
• State utility commissions are developing specific data protection requirements
• Federal attention to critical infrastructure security continues to increase

This evolving patchwork of requirements creates compliance complexity for energy companies, with a clear trajectory toward more comprehensive data protection requirements.

#The Preparation Gap

Many utilities are finding themselves underprepared for this shift:

• Limited visibility into data access and sharing
• Few mechanisms to respond to consumer data requests
• Inadequate audit capabilities for regulatory reporting
• Insufficient tools for data breach detection and response

The industry's first major enforcement action for data privacy violations will likely serve as a wake-up call. Being proactive now represents a significant opportunity to get ahead of these requirements.

#A Modern Approach to Energy Data

The energy sector doesn't need to reinvent the wheel. Other regulated industries have already developed effective practices for secure data collaboration that can be adapted to utility operations.

The shift involves moving from file-based sharing to platform-based access with:

• Centralized Permission Control: Unified management of who can access specific data
• Comprehensive Activity Records: Complete visibility into data access and usage
• Field-Level Controls: Share only the necessary data elements, not entire datasets
• Dynamic Access Management: Adjust or revoke access instantly when needed
• Browser-Based Access: Keep sensitive data off endpoint devices entirely

#How Texture Helps—Starting With What Matters Most

At Texture, we understand that energy companies aren't looking for massive system overhauls. That's why our platform is designed to work alongside your existing infrastructure, allowing you to address your most pressing data security challenges first and expand gradually.

#The Data Router Approach: Start Where You Need It Most

Rather than requiring a comprehensive replacement, Texture can function as a secure connector for your most sensitive information flows:

1. Begin With One Critical Use Case: Address your highest-risk data sharing scenario
2. Preserve Your Current Systems: No rip-and-replace required—we complement your existing infrastructure
3. Scale Gradually: Add more data flows and applications as you realize the benefits

#Targeted Solutions for Specific Challenges

Every utility has unique data security pain points. Texture can address these individually:

• Secure Customer Data Sharing: Replace email-based CSV distribution with permission-controlled access
• Vendor Collaboration: Provide partners with precisely limited access to necessary information
• Cross-Departmental Coordination: Manage how teams share data across organizational boundaries
• Compliance Documentation: Maintain detailed records of all data access for regulatory purposes

#Incremental Implementation Path

Our platform supports a staged adoption approach:

1. Day 1: Secure your most sensitive data flow
2. Week 1: Onboard key stakeholders and users
3. Month 1: Expand to additional teams and data types
4. Year 1: Build comprehensive data governance as needed

#Immediate Benefits—Even at Limited Scale

Even when applied to a single data exchange process, Texture delivers substantial improvements:

1. Secure Real-Time Collaboration

   • Work simultaneously with the same data without creating copies
   • Utilize current information rather than stale exports
   • See changes immediately across all users
   • Maintain definitive versions rather than competing copies

2. Precise Access Management

   • Control access to specific data elements rather than entire files
   • Set time-limited permissions that expire automatically
   • Implement purpose-specific limitations
   • Create view-only access that prevents data extraction

3. Complete Activity Records Every interaction within Texture is documented:

   • User identification for all access events
   • Timestamp information
   • Action details and context
   • Data selection and filtering specifics
   • Field-level access information

4. Effective Access Control When personnel changes occur:

   • Instantly revoke system access
   • Eliminate lingering data copies
   • Terminate all active sessions
   • Verify access removal completion

5. Proactive Security Readiness If security concerns arise:

   • Quickly determine affected information
   • Identify all users with access history
   • Document all subsequent data movement
   • Generate detailed incident reports

#Adopting Secure Practices—One Step at a Time

Beginning with a focused approach doesn't mean limited thinking. The key is identifying which data exchanges represent your organization's most significant vulnerability:

1. Identify Priority Data: Which information contains the most sensitive customer details?
2. Document Current Process: Who needs access, how frequently, and for what purpose?
3. Implement Texture Solution: Move just this specific workflow to our platform
4. Evaluate Results: Measure security improvements, efficiency gains, and user experience
5. Expand Strategically: Address the next highest-priority data flow

Many utilities begin with customer information shared for demand forecasting, energy efficiency programs, or third-party service delivery. These high-volume, sensitive exchanges provide immediate security benefits while demonstrating the platform's value.

#Balancing Action and Practicality

Energy companies often wonder whether enhanced data security justifies the implementation effort. The evidence strongly suggests it does—and Texture's incremental approach makes it practical:

• Targeted Risk Reduction: Even securing a single critical data exchange significantly decreases your exposure
• Verifiable Compliance Progress: Demonstrate concrete security improvements to regulators
• Operational Efficiency: Eliminate time spent hunting for the current version of important datasets
• Validation Before Expansion: Confirm the approach works for your organization before broader implementation

#Your Next Step Forward

The energy industry is evolving rapidly. The growth of distributed energy resources, increasing customer engagement requirements, and expanding data volumes all make secure information sharing more essential than ever.

You don't need to transform everything at once. Start with your most critical data security challenge, and let Texture show you how modern collaboration can complement your existing systems.

Ready to take that first step? Contact us to identify your priority data flow and see how Texture can enhance that process within days.