What are some examples of ICS assets?

There is a wide range of assets that fall under the umbrella of ICS assets, and these can vary from one organization to the next. Some typical examples of ICS assets include the following:

• Remote Terminal Units (RTUs)

• Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs)

• Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs)

• Distributed Control Systems (DCS)

• Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)

• Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs)

What are the best practices for ICS security?

To ensure that ICS assets remain protected against threats, organizations should implement proactive cybersecurity practices to mitigate risk.

• Asset discovery: Performing asset discovery and cataloging ICS assets can enable organizations to establish complete visibility over their attack surface and take appropriate measures to secure it.

• Continuous monitoring: Since the devices that utilize ICS networks change infrequently, organizations can establish a baseline for network activity and implement continuous monitoring for real-time detection of anomalous activity in ICS environments.

• Least privilege: To minimize variables, mitigate threats, and reduce errors, organizations can implement the principle of least privilege in ICS security, providing users only the level of access required to perform their duties.

• Network segmentation: Organizations should partition ICS networks into segments with firewalls securing them. This protects against the threat of lateral movement to limit the impact of potential security incidents.

  Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS): Employing IDS helps organizations identify and respond to attempts to exploit weaknesses in ICS infrastructure. This provides protection against threats like malware.

• Updating & patching: For optimal protection, security teams should regularly update ICS assets to the latest software and firmware versions. These updates and patches remedy recently identified vulnerabilities, providing protection against emerging threats.

• Incident response planning: In the event that a security incident does occur, the response needs to be swift and decisive to mitigate and prevent breaches, data loss, and operational disruption. Preparing a comprehensive incident response plan helps ensure speedy containment and recovery to preserve the integrity of ICS infrastructure.

  
  

What are threats to ICS security?

Threats to ICS security can stem from malicious activity or unintended actions by those maintaining or operating ICS assets. Common threats to ICS security include the following:

• Phishing attacks (leveraging compromised OT credentials)

• Malware/Ransomware attacks

• Denial of Service (DoS) attacks

• Supply Chain attacks

• Exploitation of IoT systems

• Insecure networks/protocols

• Misconfigured security controls

What are the benefits of ICS security?

There are significant advantages to proper ICS security.

First and foremost is operational continuity. By safeguarding ICS infrastructure against threats, organizations can prevent disruption to their most vital functions. As such, they can avoid potential financial losses.

Secondly, ICS security enables better risk management. Through the implementation of ICS security best practices, organizations can effectively manage their attack surface and reduce the risk and severity of potential security incidents.

Lastly, ICS security helps organizations stay in compliance with the standards and regulations that govern the utilization of ICS technologies and processes. By comprehensively securing ICS environments, organizations can avoid breaching the provisions of such regulations so as not to incur fines or face potential legal repercussions.