SANS Survey: The State of Security in Control Systems Today

Industrial control systems (ICS), or the hardware and software that monitor and control physical equipment and processes for critical infrastructure, such as water, oil, gas, energy and utilities, as well as automated manufacturing, pharmaceutical processing and defense networks, present a wildly attractive target for those who seek to cause disruption or to threaten infrastructure for their own purposes.

In 2015, the SANS Institute conducted its third survey on ICS security, which was taken by 314 respondents. Their answers indicate their organizations are concerned about keeping their most basic ICS operations running reliably and safely. They also show an increasing uncertainty over whether their systems had been infiltrated without their knowledge. By reading this report, ICS professionals will gain insight into the challenges facing peers, as well the approaches being employed to reduce the risk of cyberattack.