InfraShield Experts to Promote Secure-by-Design Engineering at NRC RIC Event as AI Transforms Nuclear Industry

InfraShield’s nuclear experts will urge industry leaders to adopt secure-by-design engineering as artificial intelligence expands across the nuclear sector.

FAIRFAX, VA, UNITED STATES, March 5, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As the nuclear sector faces a more complex cyber threat landscape and evolving regulatory requirements, InfraShield experts Mario Fernandez and Elizabeth McAndrew-Benavides will attend the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) annual Regulatory Information Conference (RIC) this week to promote secure-by-design engineering practices that strengthen cybersecurity while enabling technological innovation.

Fernandez, InfraShield’s Director of Nuclear Security and Compliance, and McAndrew-Benavides, a senior cybersecurity specialist, will offer their unique expertise as NRC veterans to promote safe nuclear innovation through the early integration of physical and cybersecurity design and best practices into new reactor construction.

“As small modular reactors and other advanced reactor technologies move closer to deployment, designers and operators need to be building cybersecurity into these systems from the start,” Fernandez said. “Engineering for detection, response, and recovery is essential to protecting nuclear infrastructure and ensuring these new reactors can operate safely in an increasingly complex threat environment.

“As former NRC employees, we are energized to bring our distinct blend of public-sector expertise and private-sector agility to this year’s RIC. Particularly with advancements in artificial intelligence, nuclear industry leaders must be thinking about how they will deploy safe and effective AI tools into their operations,” McAndrew-Benavides said. “The rapid pace of AI innovation inevitably amplifies cyber risks, and InfraShield is poised to ensure engineers and operators feel empowered to deploy autonomous systems safely.”

InfraShield's cyber specialists are set to advise leaders on how secure-by-design principles and responsible AI integration are no longer optional considerations for the nuclear industry, but operational imperatives. As the threat landscape grows more perilous and AI becomes embedded in nuclear plant operations, facilities can embrace innovation without compromising safety, security, or compliance.


ABOUT INFRASHIELD
InfraShield protects the vital sectors that make our society function, specializing in the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure systems across operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) environments. An industry leader, the company designs and implements tailored solutions, technologies, and strategies to defend high-value assets against evolving cyber threats in nuclear power, energy, transportation, mining and metals, water, and government.

Rob Legare
Blue Highway Advisory
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