Anyone responsible for the reliable, safe, and cyber-secure operation of a water utility should assume they will be breached at some point. If the adversary is targeting the control system, it is likely that they can find a way in. If they spend the time to fully understand the system and its physics, they may also find a way to physically damage the water infrastructure. A core goal of every water utility is to maintain basic service. Armed with a manual operations plan and an incident response plan, a utility that is dealt a severe cyber blow can maintain service and minimize recovery time, as long as they can prevent physical damage to their system.
This talk will discuss operational vulnerabilities in water systems that could lead to physical infrastructure damage. It will then present possible cyber-physical safety systems designed to mitigate the risk of cyber-attacks leading to physical damage. Where process response is slow enough, out-of-band monitoring can provide protection. The talk will close with advice on how to initiate and lead a similar program in your utility.
Network-independent cyber-physical safety systems are similar to equipment protection systems but are considered safety systems because of their ultimate role in protecting public health. Important advantages of this approach include: system retrofitting that provides an element of robust cybersecurity and operator error protection, low cost opportunities, and solutions that can be designed and implemented by in-house staff without cybersecurity skills.
Speakers:
Andrew Hildick-Smith, Principal, OT Sec, LLC
Gus Serino, Principal ICS Security Consultant, Dragos
