Preface

Industrial Control Systems (ICSs) form the backbone of modern industry, facilitating the automation, monitoring, and management of critical infrastructure sectors including oil and gas, chemicals, power generation, and manufacturing. Within this context, Safety Instrumented Systems (SISs) play a pivotal role in ensuring operational safety by preventing hazardous situations and reducing the likelihood of catastrophic failures. However, as the convergence of Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) accelerates, the inherent vulnerabilities in ICS and SIS have exposed industries to a new dimension of cybersecurity threats.

The expanding digital footprint of industrial environments has brought remarkable gains in efficiency, productivity, and insight. Yet, it has also widened the attack surface, placing critical safety functions at risk. Cyberattacks on ICSs/SISs can result in devastating consequences, including process disruptions, equipment damage, environmental hazards, and even loss of life. Securing these systems requires a holistic understanding of both the technical and strategic aspects of cybersecurity, blending traditional safety measures with emerging security frameworks.

Securing Industrial Control Systems and Safety Instrumented Systems: A practical guide for safeguarding mission and safety critical systems is designed to offer an in-depth exploration of this challenging landscape. This book aims to provide practical guidance, strategic insights, and actionable steps to protect your ICS/SIS environment effectively.

The key objectives of this book are as follows:

• Highlight the convergence: Explore how the convergence of IT and OT creates both opportunities and challenges for securing industrial environments
• Understand SIS fundamentals: Provide a comprehensive overview of SISs, their architecture, and how they integrate with ICS
• Explore cybersecurity risks and threats: Identify the specific cybersecurity risks facing SISs within ICS environments, emphasizing the unique characteristics that make these systems vulnerable
• Implement defense strategies: Present practical strategies and solutions to secure SISs, leveraging best practices in cybersecurity and safety engineering
• Build cyber resilience: Advocate for a security resilience that blends safety practices with cybersecurity readiness, emphasizing the importance of people and processes alongside technology to be well equipped for emerging cyber threats