Securing Industrial Control Systems - 695.613

This course resides where Information Technology (IT) meets Operational Technology (OT) and introduces the practice of cybersecurity related to Industrial Control Systems (ICSs), their components, and the Purdue Model for ICS network organization. Industrial or OT environments were originally designed to be operated on and tended to with onsite (physical) configuration and support. As the industry evolves and requests for additional connectivity and remote functionality increase, these systems have become more connected and more vulnerable to both physical and remote threats. Students will be introduced to a variety of topics including process variable telemetry (sensors, actuators, controllers), control loops, DCS/SCADA/PLCs, HMIs, data historians, safety systems, and so on. ICSs are meant to provide stability during steady-state operations and respond appropriately to non-steady-state conditions – imagine if employees couldn’t trust the data they see, or the autonomous control was overridden or defeated. Through lectures, real-world cyber-attack case studies, hands-on exercises, and independent research opportunities students will be given the resources to identify and understand ICS vulnerabilities, and best secure ICS environments.