Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA (22 January 2015) – The Automation Federation, an umbrella organization of the International Society of Automation (ISA), will conduct a high-profile seminar on industrial cybersecurity at the 19th Annual ARC Industry Forum, which will take place 9-12 February 2015 at the Renaissance Orlando hotel at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida.
The seminar—to be conducted from 9 a.m. to noon on Monday, 9 February—will feature many of the world’s foremost experts in industrial cybersecurity, including officials from the White House, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the National Consortium for Mission Critical Operations (NCMCO), ISA, the Automation Federation and other select organizations. (View the agenda toward the end of this press release.)
The title of the forum, “Industry in Transition: The Information-Driven Enterprise for the Connected World,” reflects the recognition that leading companies must embrace new information and automation technologies to maintain a competitive edge and protect their critical assets.
A vital step manufacturers and owners and operators of critical infrastructure can take to safeguard their critical assets and better protect themselves from cyberattack is the adoption of industrial cybersecurity standards, guidelines and compliance testing.
As a leading authority on industrial automation control systems (IACS) security standards, the Automation Federation and its founding association, ISA, have worked closely with government officials and lawmakers in Washington to build support for a national commitment to more rigorous cybersecurity as well as federal cybersecurity legislation.
The Automation Federation will play an active role in the implementation of The Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2014, which was recently passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama.
The bipartisan bill is designed to strengthen and protect the nation’s economic and national security through public-private partnerships to improve cybersecurity and a greater reliance on cybersecurity standards; research and development; workforce development and education; and public awareness and preparedness.
IACS security standards developed by ISA (IEC-62443) are integral components of the federal government’s plans to combat cyberattack because they’re designed to prevent and offset potentially devastating cyber damage to industrial plant systems and networks—commonly used in transportation grids, power plants, water treatment facilities, and other vital industrial settings.
In addition to cybersecurity, other programs comprising the ARC Industry Forum include:
- Analytics for Operational Excellence
- Asset Performance Management
- Cloud Computing Solutions
- Energy Management Solutions
- Industrial Internet of Things
- Innovations in Automation Systems
- Workforce Development and Training
To register for the conference, and gain more details about all forum workshops, seminars and sessions, download the conference program.
Automation Federation Cybersecurity Seminar Agenda
Outlined below is the agenda for the Automation Federation’s industrial cybersecurity seminar, which will take place on Monday, 9 February 2015 from 9 a.m. to noon.
9 a.m. – 9:05 a.m.
Welcome
Peggie Koon, Ph.D., Chair, Automation Federation; 2014 ISA President
9:05 a.m. – 9:10 a.m.
Introduction of White House Speaker
Mike Marlowe, Managing Director and Director of Government Relations at the Automation Federation
9:10 a.m. – 9:25 a.m.
White House Executive Order
Jeanette Manfra, Director of Cybersecurity Critical Infrastructure Protection at the White House (scheduled)
9:25 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Introduction of NIST Speaker
Mike Marlowe
9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
NIST Cybersecurity Framework Presentation
Adam Sedgewick, Senior Policy Advisor, NIST
9:45 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.
Introduction of IEC-62443 Speaker
Mike Marlowe
9:50 a.m. – 10:05 a.m.
IEC-62443 Standard Presentation
Eric Cosman, Co-Chair, ISA99 Security Standards Committee; and Automation Federation Cybersecurity Framework Team Member
10:05 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Break
10:15 a.m. – 10:20 a.m.
Introduction of ISA Cybersecurity Resources Speaker
Mike Marlowe
10:20 a.m. – 10:35 a.m.
ISA Cybersecurity Resources Presentation
Steve Huffman, Chair of Automation Federation Government Relations Committee; and Former Automation Federation Chair/ISA President
10:35 a.m. – 10:40 a.m.
Introduction of Exelon Cybersecurity Presentation
Mike Marlowe
10:40 a.m. – 10:55 a.m.
Exelon Cybersecurity Presentation
Samara Moore, Senior Manager, Critical Infrastructure Security and Compliance, Exelon Corporate & Information Security Services
10:55 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Introduction of FBI Infragard Presentation
Mike Marlowe
11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
FBI Infragard Presentation
FBI Special Agent David Nelson
11:15 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.
Introduction of Mission Critical Operations Presentation
Mike Marlowe
11:20 a.m. – 11:35 a.m.
Mission Critical Operations Presentation
Mitchell Sepaugh, Project Manager, Industrial Systems National Consortium for Mission Critical Operations
11:35 a.m. – 11:40 a.m.
Introduction of Manufacturing Extension Partnership Presentation
Mike Marlowe
11:40 a.m. – 11:55 a.m.
Manufacturing Extension Partnership Presentation
John Dorris and Phil Mintz, NC Industrial Extension Service
Noon
Adjourn
About the Automation Federation
The Automation Federation is a global umbrella organization of sixteen (16) member organizations and six working groups engaged in automation activities. The Automation Federation enables its members to more effectively fulfill their missions, advance the science and engineering of automation technologies and applications, and develop the workforce needed to capitalize on the benefits of automation. The Automation Federation is the “Voice of Automation.” For more information about the Automation Federation, visit www.automationfederation.org.
