Control System Cyber Security Workshop to Focus on Real Events in Nukes and SCADA Systems

Nuclear plants and SCADA systems have proven vulnerable to cyber attacks and accidents, and require special handling by IT and manufacturing.

[keywords]control systems, industrial controls, cyber security, nuclear power plant, SCADA, gasoline pipeline, NIST, network security, Control magazine, Applied Control Solutions

Scheduled for August 13-16, the Control System Cyber Security Workshop in Knoxville, Tenn., will examine real events that have compromised cyber security in nuclear plants and SCADA systems, as well as presentations and discussions on industrial cyber security. The Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant broadcast storm event and the Bellingham, Wash., pipe break event are the most notable of these real events. The Browns Ferry event was a "broadcast storm" in 2006 that shut down plant equipment resulting in an operator decision to manually scram (shutdown) the plant. The equipment affected by the broadcast storm were commercial industrial control equipment on an Ethernet network- variable frequency drives (VFDs) and programmable logic controllers (PLC). The discussions will focus on similar incidents in non-nuclear plant applications and the need for industry guidance for implementing control system equipment with modern networking technologies. The discussions will also include testing guidance since PLCs, VFDs, and plant work stations have experienced anomalous behavior when subject to common network scanning tools. The Bellingham, WA pipe break occurred in 1999. It was a combination of several independent events culminating in the rupture of a gasoline pipeline that resulted in 3 deaths and $45 Million in damage. The events that contributed to the pipe rupture were a backhoe impacting the structural integrity of the line, pressure relieve valve operability issues, AND SCADA system cyber issues. The reanalysis will draw on NIST-published extensions of SP 800-53 cyber controls to SCADA/control systems, including identification of the NIST SP800-53 controls that were not met, and an assessment of how the event could have been prevented or mitigated if the NIST SP800-53 controls were applied. The Control System Cyber Security Conference will present:

• Case studies of industrial wireless for control and monitoring applications, including good industry practices
• Discussions of control system regulations within different industries
• Demonstration of hacking control systems and discussions of possible solutions
• Case histories of control system cyber events
• Control system security standards poster session
• Tour of a large operating power plant

The Control System Cyber Security Conference is produced by Applied Control Solutions (www.realtimeacs.com) and is co-sponsored by Control magazine and www.controlglobal.com. For further information, contact Joe Weiss at [email protected] or (408) 253-7934. ***

About Control magazine

Control magazine is the award-winning leading magazine in process automation, with 65,000 readers and one of the most often referred-to sites on the web, www.controlglobal.com. Control covers hot issues that impact manufacturing in the process industries, and relates them to the end user point of view, and is considered a thought leader in the field.

About Applied Control Solutions

Applied Control Solutions (www.realtimeacs.com) personnel have provided leadership in the area of control systems and control system security for more than 30 years. Applied Control Solutions personnel are viewed as industry icons and have:

•  Obtained two patents on control and instrumentation systems
• Administered more than 60 presentations and short courses on advanced control systems and diagnostics
• Administered more than 100 presentations and short courses on cyber security of industrial control systems
• Provided testimony to congressional subcommittees
• Supported all major control system cyber security standards organizations
• Performed numerous control system cyber security risk and vulnerability assessments
• Worked with major control system suppliers