Automatic verification of cybersecurity best practices for operational technology networks

Operational technology (OT) refers to the hardware and software systems used to monitor and control physical processes. OT systems are used extensively in industries such as electric, water and wastewater, oil and natural gas, transportation, and manufacturing. Reliable OT systems are necessary to maintain access to critical infrastructures. As such, it is essential they are protected from cyberattacks. In the past, there was clear separation between an organization's OT systems and information technology (IT) systems. Today, however, OT networks are increasingly connected to IT networks. This introduces new cybersecurity concerns. In this thesis, we outline cybersecurity best practices for OT networks. These best practices are recommended by respected organizations, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the International Society of Automation (ISA), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Then, we discuss the development of a tool that can be used to analyze a given OT network and automatically verify (or disprove) the correct implementation of cybersecurity best practices. Finally, we present a case study where we use data from an example system to illustrate the implementation of our verification tool.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Electrical & Computer Engr

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2022

Author dc:creator

• Belovich, Emily

Contributors dc:contributor

• Nicol, David M

• verification
• cybersecurity
• operational technology (OT)
• industrial control system (ICS)

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2022 Emily Belovich

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/115781

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F115781