Patric Birr and I published an article in SIGNAL+DRAHT, the leading international medium for control and safety technology plus communication and information technology in the railway sector. In the article we propose automating Security Risk Assessments by using digital twins. These allow attack trees to be derived automatically enabling a systematic analysis of potential attack…
Critical infrastructure faces a growing number of security threats.. Critical infrastructure typically relies on Industrial Automation and Control Systems (IACS) and other non-IT components, often referred to as “Operational Technology.” To effectively assess cybersecurity risks within operational technology (OT) systems, adhering to the internationally recognized IEC 62443 standard is best practice. IEC 62443-3-2, part of…
In this post, I delve into the most relevant standards that secure our railway systems. Using Europe and Germany as a case study for the local and national level of standards, the following infographics provides a comprehensive overview of the most relevant standards helping to increase security on the tracks. 📄 Download infographics as pdf:…
Today I attended the CNA e.V. railway technology forum 2024 in Nuremberg for ICS GmbH. The title of the conference was “Unlocking the opportunities of railtech”, which is both necessary and possible with the help of digital systems such as ETCS, ATO and CTMS – if it’s done in the right way. Cybersecurity plays a vital role in…
There is a job advert for a Windows 3.11 administrator role in the rail industry doing the rounds on the internet right now – e.g. here at Heise. It’s often accompanied by the question why such old systems are still in use – it’s 2024! Yes, this is the reality of OT systems – not…
This morning I’m on the way to Frankfurt for ICS – Informatik Consulting Systems participating at a DKE security working group meeting regarding standardisation of railway security.
The Polish Press Agency (PAP) reports a cyber attack on the Polish rail network in the north-west of the country in Szczecin. A BBC article reports: “Hackers broke into railway frequencies to disrupt traffic in the north-west of the country overnight, the Polish Press Agency (PAP) reported on Saturday.The signals were interspersed with recording of…
Step 1: Plan Security Management: This is the first step in the process, indicating the importance of planning and managing security measures effectively. Step 2: Security Risk Analysis (IEC 62443-3-2): The second step involves conducting a security risk analysis in accordance with the IEC 62443-3-2 standard. This step is crucial for identifying potential security risks…
This excellent talk from RSA Conference 2023 tries to answer this question with what is currently known regarding: A clear recommendation to watch this presentation by Jason Kramer and Dr. Ulrich Lang, CEO to anyone in the OT/ICS industry.
Here are some questions to ask! Of course this is not the full list of questions, since your environment has to be known to choose the corresponding countermeasures.