I gave a presentation on May 10th at the High Tech Crime Investigation Association Meeting (HTCIA) in Menlo Park, CA on Industrial Control System (ICS) Cyber Security. As with most presentations, the unique ICS issues were new to most of the attendees but I wanted to share two tell-tale reactions from that day.

 IF YOU ONLY GO TO ONE CONFERENCE THIS YEAR, MAKE IT THIS ONE!

Whew! I just got done moderating one of the best webcast discussions I've ever participated in.

I have been doing and teaching webcasting since about 1998, so that's saying something.

Variable speed pumps can save energy when the flow is reduced. However, the turndown of the pump speed may not achievable if there is overheating at low flows, excessive sensitivity at low rpm, and cycling at high destination pressures. Special attention to variable frequency drive (VFD), motor, pump, and piping system design is necessary to achieve the rangeability associated with the energy savings.

There have been numerous articles, white papers, and webinars on securing industrial control systems (ICSs). Almost all have focused on securing the IP networks.  This is certainly part of the solution, but NOT the entire solution. ICSs are engineering systems with cyber-sensitive systems that include network components as well as engineering components.

The threshold sensitivity and resolution of measurements (smallest incremental change) has improved dramatically to better than 0.05% with new sensor technology and smart compensation of extraneous effects of operating conditions. The response of the air-actuated control valve has improved, but the smallest incremental change in position varies widely depending upon the actuator, positioner, valve type and valve heritage.

Our Sr. Technical Editor, Dan Hebert, has sent in the following report about the spring meeting of the CSIA.

As is noted in the body of this release, Dow last year announced that they will be donating over $25 million a year to academic institutions in furtherance of their commitment to STEM education. Go, Dow! If we want to have workers for the plants we will not be closing, we all need to do like Dow does. Get it up, asset owners and vendor companies. Now's the time to make the investment. It will pay great returns.

 Here's the release: 

According to LIGHTS (http://www.infosecisland.com/blogview/20649-Shining-LIGHTS-on-ICS-Cybers...), "Large asset owners have vastly complex operations and accordingly stringent requirements. The process of assessing their current security status and doing anything about it is similarly resource-intensive. Making a significant improvement in realized security at these organizations often occurs over the long term.

I just learned that Putman Media has very suddenly lost our vice-president, Julie Cappelletti Lange, to a very uncommon disease that affects fewer than 1.25 people out of a million.