Description

This curriculum spans the breadth of control system cybersecurity governance and risk management, matching the technical and organizational complexity of multi-phase industrial cybersecurity programs that integrate regulatory compliance, network architecture, and operational resilience across distributed OT environments.

Module 1: Defining Governance Scope for Industrial Control Systems

Selecting which operational technology (OT) assets fall under cybersecurity governance based on criticality, connectivity, and regulatory exposure.
Establishing reporting lines between IT security teams and plant operations to clarify accountability for control system protection.
Determining whether legacy systems without vendor support will be governed under the same policy framework as modern ICS platforms.
Deciding which regulatory frameworks (NERC CIP, ISA/IEC 62443, etc.) apply to specific facilities and how to map controls accordingly.
Resolving conflicts between functional safety requirements and cybersecurity segmentation in safety instrumented systems (SIS).
Documenting asset ownership for programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and remote terminal units (RTUs) across geographically distributed sites.
Setting thresholds for when a control system change triggers a formal governance review versus operational discretion.
Integrating third-party contractor access into governance policies without compromising operational continuity.

Module 2: Risk Assessment Methodologies for OT Environments

Choosing between qualitative risk matrices and quantitative models based on data availability and stakeholder decision needs.
Conducting asset-specific threat modeling for SCADA systems that accounts for both cyber and physical attack vectors.
Assigning realistic likelihood scores to threat scenarios involving insider actors with legitimate access to control networks.
Adjusting consequence ratings for process disruptions that could lead to environmental releases or safety incidents.
Using network traffic baselines to identify deviations that indicate previously unknown assets or communication pathways.
Deciding whether to include supply chain compromise in risk scenarios for embedded control system components.
Validating risk assessment outputs with operations personnel who understand process tolerances and recovery capabilities.
Updating risk registers in response to changes in external threat intelligence, such as new ICS-specific malware campaigns.

Module 3: Designing Secure Network Architecture for Control Systems

Implementing zone and conduit models that align with ISA/IEC 62443 while minimizing impact on real-time control loops.
Selecting between hardware-enforced and software-based segmentation for legacy controllers that cannot support encryption.
Configuring unidirectional gateways for data extraction from Level 3/4 systems without introducing bidirectional pathways.
Designing DMZs for third-party remote monitoring that prevent lateral movement into process control networks.
Deciding where to place deep packet inspection tools without introducing latency that affects control timing.
Managing address space overlap between corporate IT and OT networks during enterprise integration projects.
Documenting approved communication protocols and ports for each control system zone to support firewall rule enforcement.
Planning for wireless access points in hazardous areas while maintaining compliance with both cybersecurity and safety standards.

Module 4: Access Control and Identity Management in OT

Integrating Active Directory with control system HMIs while preserving local authentication fallback for availability.
Defining role-based access control (RBAC) policies that reflect operational job functions, not IT organizational roles.
Implementing time-limited credentials for vendor technicians performing on-site maintenance.
Managing shared accounts on legacy controllers that lack individual user support while maintaining auditability.
Enforcing multi-factor authentication at the boundary between corporate and OT networks without disrupting batch processes.
Handling emergency access procedures that allow overrides while ensuring post-event review and logging.
Syncing user deprovisioning between HR systems and OT access control lists with minimal delay.
Securing engineering workstation access to prevent unauthorized logic changes to safety systems.

Module 5: Patch and Vulnerability Management for Control Systems

Evaluating vendor patch advisories for control system components against operational impact and exploit availability.
Establishing change windows for patching that align with planned maintenance outages and production schedules.
Creating isolated test environments to validate patches on control system software before field deployment.
Deciding whether to apply mitigations for unpatched vulnerabilities based on active exploitation in the wild.
Maintaining accurate software bill of materials (SBOM) for proprietary control system firmware versions.
Coordinating vulnerability disclosures with control system vendors under responsible disclosure agreements.
Applying compensating controls such as network filtering when patches are not available for critical vulnerabilities.
Tracking unremediated vulnerabilities in a risk acceptance register with executive sign-off.

Module 6: Security Monitoring and Incident Detection in OT

Deploying passive network monitoring sensors that do not interfere with deterministic control traffic.
Developing baselines for normal control system behavior to detect anomalies in command sequences or polling rates.
Correlating security alerts from OT monitoring tools with process data to distinguish cyber events from operational faults.
Configuring alert thresholds to minimize false positives that could lead to operator alert fatigue.
Integrating OT event data into central SIEM platforms while preserving contextual metadata for investigation.
Establishing criteria for when a network anomaly triggers an incident response versus operational troubleshooting.
Securing logging infrastructure for control system events to prevent tampering during an attack.
Conducting tabletop exercises using realistic OT attack scenarios to validate detection capabilities.

Module 7: Incident Response Planning for Control System Environments

Defining escalation paths that include operations leadership during suspected control system incidents.
Creating response playbooks that differentiate between IT and OT containment strategies.
Pre-staging forensic tools approved for use on control system networks to avoid introducing malware.
Establishing communication protocols for notifying regulators during incidents involving safety or environmental impact.
Planning for manual operation fallbacks when control systems must be isolated during an incident.
Securing evidence from control system devices without disrupting ongoing production.
Coordinating with external incident response firms that have proven OT forensic capabilities.
Conducting post-incident reviews that balance root cause analysis with operational confidentiality.

Module 8: Third-Party and Supply Chain Risk Management

Requiring ICS vendors to provide vulnerability disclosure policies and patch timelines in procurement contracts.
Validating software integrity for control system updates using cryptographic hashes provided by vendors.
Assessing the cybersecurity posture of automation integrators before granting network access.
Managing risks associated with cloud-based monitoring services for distributed control systems.
Controlling physical media (USB drives, laptops) used by third parties during commissioning and maintenance.
Requiring third-party vendors to comply with asset-specific cybersecurity requirements, not generic standards.
Tracking component provenance for control system hardware to detect counterfeit or tampered devices.
Establishing secure methods for remote vendor access, including jump hosts and session recording.

Module 9: Compliance and Audit Management for Control Systems

Mapping control system configurations to specific requirements in NERC CIP, CFATS, or other regulations.
Preparing for audits by maintaining evidence of access reviews, patching activities, and configuration changes.
Responding to auditor findings on segmentation gaps between IT and OT networks.
Documenting risk exceptions for control systems that cannot meet certain security controls due to operational constraints.
Conducting internal compliance assessments using checklists tailored to control system architectures.
Aligning audit schedules with maintenance windows to allow system inspection without disrupting operations.
Managing audit access to control system data while protecting intellectual property and process secrets.
Updating compliance documentation when control system upgrades introduce new architecture components.

Module 10: Sustaining Governance Through Organizational Change

Integrating cybersecurity requirements into capital project workflows for new control system installations.
Updating governance policies when mergers or acquisitions bring new OT environments under corporate oversight.
Training operations personnel on security procedures without undermining safety-first operational culture.
Maintaining governance continuity during workforce transitions, including contractor turnover.
Revising control system policies in response to changes in regulatory enforcement priorities.
Ensuring cybersecurity governance remains funded during economic downturns that impact operational budgets.
Adapting governance frameworks to support digital transformation initiatives like IIoT and predictive maintenance.
Establishing metrics for governance effectiveness that resonate with both technical and executive stakeholders.