October 25, 2023 at 11:15AM
A new project presented at the SecurityWeek ICS Cybersecurity Conference aims to assist PLC programmers in implementing secure coding practices. The project analyzes and catalogues useful files and functions from different PLC vendors to provide easy-to-digest information on vendor-specific secure coding practices. Currently, the project covers products from Schneider Electric, Siemens, and Rockwell Automation, but information for other vendors will be added in the future. Fortiphyd Logic, the company behind the project, has also developed a custom module for CISA’s Cyber Security Evaluation Tool.
Key takeaways from the meeting notes:
1. A new project presented at SecurityWeek’s ICS Cybersecurity Conference aims to simplify the implementation of secure coding practices for PLC programmers.
2. The project builds on the ‘Top 20 Secure PLC Coding Practices’ and provides guidelines for improving security in PLC programming.
3. Some secure coding practices are common to all PLCs, while others are vendor-specific and require relevant documentation.
4. Fortiphyd Logic’s project aims to provide information on vendor-specific practices in an easily understandable format, including product names, models, required functionalities, and access methods.
5. One vendor-specific recommendation involves tracking a PLC’s operating mode and monitoring mode changes to detect potential attacks.
6. Different PLC vendors have different methods for monitoring mode changes and reading error and fault flags caused by attacks.
7. PLC logic changes can be detected using checksums, but different vendors have different functions for monitoring checksums.
8. The project currently covers products from Schneider Electric, Siemens, and Rockwell Automation, but information for other vendors will be added.
9. Fortiphyd Logic has created a custom module for CISA’s Cyber Security Evaluation Tool (CSET) to help organizations assess their security posture in relation to the top 20 secure PLC coding practices.