The Risk and Reward of Distributed Industrial Control - Cybersecurity in Remote Infrastructure Management

Explore the cybersecurity implications of remotely controlled industrial assets in this 27-minute DEF CON conference talk. Delve into how economic efficiency and automation have led to unmanned operations of renewable energy facilities, distributed energy resources (DERs), and pipelines, all controlled through common information networks. Learn about the expanded attack surface this creates for cyber operations through analysis of real-world examples, including the 2022 ViaSat incident and historical pipeline intrusions. Discover practical and cost-effective mitigation strategies for protecting critical infrastructure while maintaining operational efficiency, particularly focusing on securing vulnerable communication links in distributed industrial control systems.