NIST Industrial Control Systems

Industrial Control Systems (ICS) monitor and control physical processes in many different industries and sectors, especially in manufacturing. A cyber attack directed at a manufacturing organization’s infrastructure could result in detrimental consequences to both human life and property. In collaboration with the NIST Engineering Laboratory (EL), the NCCoE will produce a series of reference designs demonstrating four cybersecurity capabilities for the manufacturing sector.

For this project, the NCCoE and EL will examine behavioral anomaly detection and prevention mechanisms, to support a multifaceted approach of counteracting cyber attacks against ICS devices that provide the functionality necessary to run manufacturing processes.

The goal is to provide industry with detailed information to establish an anomaly detection and prevention capability in their own environments. By implementing behavioral anomaly detection tools, manufacturers are provided with a key security component that will aid in sustaining business operations, particularly those based on ICS.

This project will result in a NIST Cybersecurity Practice Guide and will be part one of a four-part series. While the reference design will focus on cybersecurity, the NCCoE example solution may also produce residual benefits to manufacturers for detecting anomalous conditions that are not security related.