Turning Compliance Into Operational Readiness

NERC-CIP Without the Theater

Passing the audit is not the same as being prepared for a real-world cyberattack. Many NERC-CIP programs are strong on documentation and evidence, yet still struggle to answer the most important operational question: can we detect, contain, and prevent impact from a determined attacker?

Compliance reporting often creates confidence without readiness. Attackers do not move through isolated vulnerabilities in neat checklists. They move through attack paths that cross systems, teams, and assumptions, especially where controls were built for audit proof rather than adversary friction.

In this executive-focused session, Terry McCorkle and Chris Wuele break down why compliance programs drift away from operational execution, and how utility leaders can reconnect CIP activities to outcomes that actually protect operations.

You will see how leading organizations align controls to real attack paths, continuously validate detection and response capabilities, and give executives and boards decision-ready visibility into operational cyber risk.

An auditor measures evidence. An attacker measures effectiveness. The organizations that understand the difference are the ones best positioned to prevent operational impact.