Protect the Industrial Control Systems (ICS)

ICS security is fast becoming a frontline defense against hackers intent on causing mayhem

Sponsored Post Some of the most famous cyber attacks in history have been directed against Industrial Control Systems (ICS).

They include the 2009 Stuxnet incident, which saw hackers gain access to an Iranian nuclear plant when its SCADA system was compromised, and Triton, which distributed malware that enabled intruders to remotely take over the Triconex controllers and software associated with the safety systems of a Saudi petrochemical plant in 2017.

With more systems, applications and devices now being interconnected via the Internet of Things (IoT) every day, the ICS attack surface is just going to grow and grow. Predictions from Transforma Insights suggest that there will be 29.4bn active IoT devices by 2030. Over half of these will connect devices in Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) industries such as government, energy, transport, retail and healthcare.

Professionals working, or interested, in ICS security should consider broadening their knowledge of the methods hackers use to penetrate those systems, while learning how best to guard against them.

Luckily there is plenty of opportunities, like the SANS ICS Summit and Training event that takes place between the 30 April and 8th of May 2023 in Orlando, Florida, shortly followed by the SANS ICS Europe Summit and Training event which takes place on 18th and 24th June 2023 in Munich.

Both feature a mixture of In-Person training with professional support, supplemented by hands-on labs in a virtual environment. Students can familiarize themselves with the methods cybercriminals use to attack poorly configured ICS and conversely to secure and manage those same environments. Students can also find out how to embed visibility and asset identification into your organization's ICS/OT networks, while monitoring and detecting cyber attacks.

To find out more by visiting the SANS Industrial Control Systems Library, which features courses, posters, surveys and whitepapers. Alternatively, the SANS Cybersecurity Courses and Certifications page lists the specific ICS courses available.

Sponsored by SANS.