Cybersecurity for Industrial Control Systems: Why It Matters and How to Stay Protected

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Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction
01:44 – Threats to ICS
03:25 – ICS security challenges
05:07 – Best practices for ICS cybersecurity
06:55 – Patching and mitigating vulnerabilities
07:49 – Conclusion

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Industrial control systems are what we call specialized industrial computers that control critical infrastructure and process automation systems.

Examples of applications of industrial control systems in critical infrastructure include the electrical grid, water and wastewater management, transportation and natural gas.

Process automation systems that use industrial control systems include nuclear power plants, oil refineries, steel mills, and most types of factories. Whenever an industrial process is automated, an industrial control system is likely to be used.

Because much of modern life depends on the convenience and security that industrial control systems provide, cybersecurity for these systems is of paramount importance.

With attacks on industrial control systems becoming more common every year, cybersecurity for industrial control systems is quickly becoming a necessary component for many organizations.

Malware such as Stuxnet, Industroyer, Triton and Pipedream, to name a few, have been used to specifically target ICS hardware, with the intention of disrupting operations or destroying equipment.

While a ransomware attack on an IT system can cripple an organization, an attack on an OT system has the potential to not only hinder an organization's operations, but also destroy equipment, disrupt critical infrastructure and also disrupt the to cause death.

While there is some overlap between cybersecurity best practices for IT systems and OT systems, there are some special considerations for industrial control systems.

While IT systems are often managed using centralized management systems such as Active Directory, industrial control system components usually need to be managed as standalone systems.

PLCs, HMIs and other ICS components usually come with a default username and password, which are well documented and easy for attackers to guess.

Special care should be taken to ensure that the default references for each component have been changed or removed. The new credentials must then be stored securely to prevent an attacker from gaining access to them.

Another unique aspect of securing industrial control systems is that endpoint security software and firewall software typically cannot be installed on these systems.

In addition to adequately defending your industrial assets, it is important to have an incident response plan to determine how you will respond to and recover from a cyber attack, should one occur.

This allows you to respond quickly and effectively to an event and minimize the impact of a cyber attack on your organization.

In the IT world, security updates are typically applied on a regular basis to patch security vulnerabilities. In the OT world, patching is done much less often, if ever.

If patches can be applied to ICS components, they must be tested in a development environment to ensure that the updates do not disrupt the production system.

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If you would like to learn more about securing industrial control systems, be sure to check out the RealPars courses on this topic. In these courses, you will learn about ICS malware, ICS attackers, past ICS security events, and how to protect your network from similar attacks in the future.

Implementing Industrial Cybersecurity: https://learn.realpars.com/courses/implementing-industrial-cyber-security

Introduction to Industrial Control System Malware: https://learn.realpars.com/courses/introduction-to-ics-malware

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