Company: SOJE
Filing Date: 2025-02-20
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000092122-25-000018
Chunk: 2035

Company: SOUTHERN CO
Filing Date: 2025-02-20
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1
Chunk 2035
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 to executive management and business units as appropriate. Plans, policies, and technologies are regularly updated and training exercises and crisis management preparedness activities are conducted to test effectiveness.The CISO works closely with the legal and compliance organizations, as well as the relevant business units, to help ensure broad oversight of and compliance with legal, regulatory, and contractual cybersecurity requirements. The CISO has extensive cybersecurity knowledge and skills gained from over 30 years of work experience within the Southern Company system. The CISO receives reports on cybersecurity threats from a variety of sources both internally and externally on an ongoing basis and regularly reviews risk management measures implemented to identify and mitigate cybersecurity risks. Briefings to the Board on cybersecurity matters include annual briefings to the Audit Committee and the Operations, Environmental, and Safety Committee in addition to briefings to the BSRC at each of its regular meetings (at least five times annually).Internal Cybersecurity TeamThe TSO, led by the CISO, is responsible for the implementation, monitoring, and maintenance of the cybersecurity and data protection practices across the Southern Company system. The Southern Company system also relies on a Data Privacy and Protection team in the compliance organization, as well as the internal audit organization, to work with the TSO on data protection policies and practices. Multiple experienced information security leaders with internal and external security experience responsible for various parts of the business report to the CISO, each of whom is supported by a team of trained cybersecurity professionals. In addition to these internal cybersecurity capabilities, external auditors and security companies are regularly engaged to assist with assessing, testing, identifying, and managing cybersecurity, including through penetration testing, vulnerability testing, and other technical evaluations.

Risk Management and StrategyAlthough many of the networks are segmented, overall network security is a centralized shared service across the Southern Company system, led by the TSO and the CISO. Recognizing that no single technology, process, or business control can effectively prevent or mitigate all risks related to cyber threats, multiple technologies, processes, and controls, all working independently but as part of a cohesive strategy, are employed to reduce risk. Southern Company system exposure and defenses are regularly tested through auditing, penetration testing, vulnerability testing, and other exercises designed to assess effectiveness.The Southern Company system emphasizes both security and resiliency through business assurance and incident response plans designed to identify, evaluate, and remediate incidents when they occur. A 24/7 security operations center is also utilized, which facilitates real-time situational awareness across the cyber-threat environment, and a robust insider threat protection program that leverages cross-function information