Cyber Security Conference to Focus on Industrial Incidents

Industrial control system (ICS) cyber incidents continue to occur and draw increased visibility. Continuous learning is required to keep up. Consequently, Applied Control Solutions (ACS) will host the 11th ICS Cyber Security Conference in the Washington, D.C. area September 20-22, 2011.

Theconferenceis an international information sharing opportunity explicitly focused on securing industrial control systems. There have already been more than 200 ICS cyber incidents including major electric outages, shutdowns of nuclear power plants, Smart Grid incidents, water system failures, pipeline failures, and transportation accidents. Current information technology (IT)security policiesand practices would not have prevented many of the cases and in some cases, the incidents were actually caused by inappropriate IT policies, technologies, or testing, according to Joe Weiss, ACS president.

Last year, the ACS Conference held the first technical discussions ofStuxnet. Sample topics to be discussed this year include:

• ICS cyber impacts on San Bruno natural gas pipeline rupture that killed eight
• McAfee and Ponemon Institute reports on cyber security and lack of ICS input
• Network issues and how they have affected actual ICS cyber incidents
• Panel session on criminal investigations of ICS cyber incidents
• Hacking non-Windows field controllers including results and disclosure issues
• Joint US/Israeli program to secure RTUs
• DOD discussion on cyberwar
• ICS trends identified from SCADASec
• Technical results from analyzing Stuxnet impact on PLCs
• ICS risk – what does that really mean to nuclear and other facilities
• Demonstrations of hacking industrial controllers
• Others being finalized

Additionally, sponsors will display their solutions to problems identified at the Conference. In the past, members of Congress and senior regulatory representatives have provided keynotes and remain to answer questions.Automation Worldis a media sponsor of this event.