Challenges and opportunities in securing industrial control systems

Abstract

Industrial Control Systems (ICS) are used for operating and monitoring industrial processes. Recent reports state that current ICS infrastructures are not sufficiently protected against cyber threats. Unfortunately, due to the specific nature of these systems, the application of common security counter-measures is often not effective. This paper summarizes experiences over a series of research efforts for building tools and mechanisms to improve the security and awareness in ICS. In particular, we discuss challenges and opportunities identified during an extensive analysis of ICS data resources. We believe that such insights are valuable for further research in the ICS context.