Extended Dependency Modeling Technique for Cyber Risk Identification in ICS

Abstract

Complex systems such as Industrial Control Systems (ICS) are designed as a collection of functionally dependent and highly connected units with multiple stakeholders. Identifying the risk of such complex systems requires an overall view of the entire system. Dependency modelling (DM) is a highly participative methodology that identifies the goals and objectives of a system and the required dependants to satisfy these goals. Researchers have proved DM to be suitable for identifying and quantifying impact and uncertainty in complex environments. However, there exist limitations in the current expressions of DM that hinder its complete adaptation for risk identification in a complex environment such as ICS. This research investigates how the capability of DM could be extended to address the identified limitations and proposes additional variables to address phenomena that are unique to ICS environments. The proposed extension is built into a system-driven ICS dependency modeller, and we present an illustrative example using a scenario of a generic ICS environment. We reflect that the proposed technique supports an improvement in the initial user data input in the identification of areas of risk at the enterprise, business process, and technology levels.

Leveraging Digital Twin Technology for Enhanced Cybersecurity in Cyber–Physical Production Systems

“…While IT security primarily focuses on safeguarding digital assets such as data and cloud services, smart manufacturing security extends its scope to protect operational technology (OT) systems, such as industrial control systems and physical machinery [6]. The convergence of IT and OT systems presents significant complexities in asset management and dependence analysis, posing significant challenges to vulnerability mitigation [7,8]. A primary concern in IT security is the identification and prioritization of vulnerable assets, which is complicated by the sheer volume of components and their intricate interconnections.…”