October 2, 2024 at 07:10PM
The National Security Agency and international cybersecurity agencies released “Principles of Operational Technology Cyber Security,” outlining six principles to safeguard critical infrastructure. These principles stress the paramount importance of safety, knowledge of the business, protecting OT data, segmenting OT networks, securing the supply chain, and ensuring a skilled cybersecurity workforce. This guidance aims to strengthen cybersecurity posture and protect critical systems.
From the meeting notes, I have summarized the key points of the discussion:
– The National Security Agency and international cybersecurity agencies collaborated to create a guide outlining six principles for a safe and secure operational technology (OT) environment for critical infrastructure.
– The document emphasizes the need for safety as the top priority in OT environments and stresses the potential catastrophic consequences of failures in water, energy, and transportation systems.
– It highlights the importance of understanding the business needs to effectively protect essential services and encourages leaders to be aware of cybersecurity concerns and practices to improve outcomes.
– The protection of OT data is crucial, with a focus on securing configuration information and segregating OT data from corporate environments and the internet.
– Segmentation and segregation of OT networks from all other networks, including the internet and IT networks, is recommended to decrease the risk of compromise.
– The secure management of the supply chain, including awareness and minimization of risk exposure from vendors, is emphasized.
– Lastly, the importance of trained OT professionals and a strong cybersecurity culture in responding to cybersecurity incidents is highlighted.
– Dave Luber, NSA Cybersecurity Director, underscored the significance of the six principles in strengthening cybersecurity posture, especially for those working in operational technology environments supporting critical systems.