How do we keep the lights on when everyone has access to the switch?
May 17th Presentation on Power Grid Security: How do we keep the lights on when everyone has access to the switch?
The North American energy infrastructure comprised of electricity, natural gas, coal and oil utilities fuels the economy of the 21st century. Without a consistent, reliable and resilient energy supply the health and welfare of the population and economies of North America are threatened. More than 90 percent of North America's energy infrastructure is owned by the private sector. The energy infrastructure is highly automated and controlled by utilities using complex energy management systems. These systems fall under the broad term of Industrial Control Systems (ICS), which include Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems that are used to keep the energy infrastructure up and running. Newly implemented low-cost Internet Protocol (IP) and wireless devices increase the possibility of cyber security vulnerabilities and incidents. ICS are adopting IT solutions to promote corporate business systems connectivity and remote access capabilities. ICS are being designed and implemented using IT industry standard computers, operating systems (OS), applications and network protocols. Multiple threat elements are combining to significantly increase the ICS threat landscape. Hacktivists, script kiddies and bad actors as well as nation states are acquiring and using specialized search engines to identify Internet facing control systems, taking advantage of the growing arsenal of exploitation tools such as Metasploit® modules developed specifically for control systems. How do we keep the lights on when everyone has access to the switch? This presentation will give a general overview of SCADA and ICS, threat vectors, possible consequences, threat scenarios and actions energy infrastructure asset owners can take to protect themselves and their customers.
Has the grid ever been compromised by cyber threats in the past? The attendees are challenged to answer this question prior to the presentation. Bonus points will be given for the correct answer.
Attendance to the meeting is FREE to IEEE members as well as non-members. Pizza and sodas will be available: Free to IEEE members; $5 for non-members. The location is Agilent Technologies, 1900 Garden of the Gods, Lobby "C".
Date and Time
Location
Hosts
Registration
- Date: 18 May 2012
- Time: 12:00 AM UTC to 01:30 AM UTC
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- Lobby "C" Entrance
- 1900 Garden of the Gods
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
- United States 80907
- Building: Agilent Technologies
- Contact Event Host
- This presentation is sponspored by the IEEE Pikes peak Section. For more information about this meeting please call Russ Bogardus @ (719) 337-6328 or email at russbogardus@comcast.net
- Co-sponsored by Local Chapter of the Power and Energy Society
- Starts 01 May 2012 05:40 PM UTC
- Ends 17 May 2012 02:00 AM UTC
- No Admission Charge
Speakers
Wally Magda
Biography: Wally Magda has a background rich in experience with electronic, telecomm, nuclear missile command & control, military intelligence, cyber and physical security systems. He has eighteen years of progressive experience in various Industrial Control Systems (ICS). Wally's first position in the utility business was as an instrumentation, control, and electrical (ICE) technician maintaining field, plant and control room systems. As a senior Critical Infrastructure Protection SCADA Security Consultant he is a recognized subject matter expert for enterprise, industrial control system, cyber security and physical security frameworks. He has supported a number of SmartGrid implementation projects in meeting Department of Energy (DOE) cyber security implementation guidelines. He has led projects performing vulnerability assessments, gap analysis and audit compliance assessments for Electric Transmission and Distribution, Energy Management, Power Generation, Hydro, Pipeline, Liquid Natural Gas Terminals and Chemical Refinery systems. Wally is active in passing on his cyber security knowledge and experience as a volunteer instructor for the local Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) chapter. He holds multiple cyber security and technical certifications such as CISSP, CISA, GSEC, Security+, NSA IAM-IEM and FCC GROL+Radar. Wally's home is in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Wally Magda
Biography: