Industrial environments are increasingly relying on digital networks for internal and external data sharing and storage. It is a powerful tool that enables all stakeholders to have transparency about productivity and operations. However, it also represents a vital vulnerability that must be protected from malicious actors and blackhats – a challenge the grows harder each day.
Overview
As industrial environments increasingly embrace digital transformation and enhanced connectivity, the importance of cybersecurity has escalated dramatically. Industrial control systems (ICS) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, once isolated, are now connected to broader networks, making them vulnerable to cyber threats.
The potential impact of a cyberattack on such systems can be catastrophic, ranging from production downtime to safety hazards and financial loss. Experts emphasize that implementing robust cybersecurity measures is crucial to protecting these critical infrastructure components. Best practices include the segmentation of networks to isolate critical systems from less secure areas, regular updates and patch management to address vulnerabilities, and the use of strong authentication methods to prevent unauthorized access.
Additionally, monitoring network traffic for unusual patterns and deploying intrusion detection systems can help identify and thwart potential attacks before they cause significant damage.
Cybersecurity frameworks provide structured guidelines and best practices to enhance protection measures in industrial environments. These frameworks emphasize the importance of developing a robust security posture through risk assessments, incident response planning and continuous monitoring. Experts highlight the need for regular employee training to recognize phishing attempts and other social engineering tactics, as human error remains a significant risk factor. By adhering to these frameworks and employing advanced security technologies, industrial organizations can better safeguard their systems against the evolving threat landscape and maintain the integrity and reliability of their operations.
Key Takeaways
- Better understand the vulnerabilities that industrial control systems (ICS) and SCADA systems face in the context of increased connectivity
- Discover key strategies for protecting critical infrastructure, such as network segmentation, regular updates, strong authentication methods, and monitoring for unusual network traffic, which can help prevent and mitigate cyber threats
- Learn about structured cybersecurity frameworks that provide guidelines for risk assessment, incident response planning and continuous monitoring
Speakers
Over the past 34 years, Dean Phillips has been a leader in the technology sectors and the world of smart manufacturing. His is a continuous advisor to the smart manufacturing advisory committees with Society of Manufacturing Engineers and PMA Precision Metalforming Association. Phillips has been a speaker on IoT, AI, robotics, VR and AR. He is the creator of reality safe, a VR / AR safety training solution for manufacturing, working with Purdue. Phillips has spent the majority of his time advancing IoT, maintenance and safety to be more predictive and develop outcome based solutions. He has been on the board of directors for SME and an advisor for TTU, MTSU and TCAT. He has been a contributing lecturer on big data and it’s value and need for artificial intelligence to filter the information into actionable items. Phillips provides safety and development to cobot users and assists universities to outline expectations from manufacturers.
Dustin Molzon is a product manager for several cbersecurity and communications products at Rockwell Automation, mainly FactoryTalk Policy Manager. He has been with Rockwell for 11 years, with a focus on software, communications, and cybersecurity solutions. He started his career delivering these solutions to customers, then had responsibility for supporting the go-to-market strategy for Rockwell's cybersecurity portfolio. He brings that hands-on customer experience to product management, ensuring that customers have the best cybersecurity management experience with RA products.
Benjamin has spent 16 years designing and manufacturing engine bleed air systems in the aerospace industry. Over this time, he helped grow the manufacturing and design capability through incremental process improvements, including physical and digital automation. At AMT, he oversees the technology research arm and is responsible for assessing the manufacturing industry on cutting-edge technologies. Through this research, he provides content and direction to the manufacturing technology creators within the US. Automation is poised to be the next pivot technology to grow US-based manufacturing.
Felipe Costa is the Cybersecurity Director and an official ISA/IEC-62443 industrial cybersecurity instructor at ISA (International Society of Automation) and EC-Council(world's largest cyber security technical certification body). Additionally, he is a Sr. Product Marketing Manager at Moxa Americas, responsible for networking and cybersecurity in the US, Canada, and LATAM. He is also an international speaker, technical article writer, and SME (subject matter expert) in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI). He has presented and published articles on different continents and events, including at the NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Artificial Intelligence Congress in the US for the last two editions. With over 19 years in the industrial sector, Felipe is dedicated to developing mission-critical solutions that include cybersecurity by design. Felipe holds more than 30 cybersecurity certifications, among them from the US Department of Homeland Security, MIT, IBM, New York University, and Stanford. He also has an MSc in Industrial Cybersecurity.
Nick Shaw is a Principal Advisory Solution Architect focused on Industrial Cyber Security for Dragos, Inc. Over the past decade he has assessed, designed, and implemented Industrial Control Systems and the infrastructure that connects them. Several years were spent at Rockwell Automation as a trusted advisor to some of the world’s largest organizations on the planet. At Dragos, Nick translates technical aspects into comprehensive solutions that drive business impact, bridging the gap between IT and OT. These solutions are core to industrial organization for protection and defense against cyber events that affect safety, quality, and productivity.