Joe Weiss

3 weeks ago | controlglobal.com | Joe Weiss

Prior to publication of the 2006 Gartner research paper introducing the term operational technology (OT), there was either engineering or information technology (IT). The term OT created a hybrid between engineering and IT that hasn’t been properly connected. Engineers come from a “physics-based” discipline, whereas OT comes from a data-centric discipline. OT is known in the cybersecurity community but not necessarily outside.

1 month ago | tdworld.com | Joe Weiss

We know of control system cyber attacks in the electric power, water, oil and gas, building controls, and transportation sectors that cause physical damages. Another cyber threat that could represent potential physical security dangers involves battery energy storage systems, which vendors, utilities and grid operators are relying more upon to make electricity delivery more reliable.

2 months ago | controlglobal.com | Joe Weiss

Control system cyber incidents have been publicly identified in the power, water, pipelines, oil and gas, building controls, rail and maritime transportation sectors that have caused significant physical effects. Another family of significant control system cyber incident cases has recently emerged that also have caused significant physical impacts – battery energy storage systems, known in the industry as “BESS.”Get your subscription to Control's tri-weekly newsletter.

Jan 23, 2025 | controlglobal.com | Joe Weiss

Addressing critical infrastructure (control system) cybersecurity started with the issuance of Presidential Decision Directive (PDD) 63 by President Bill Clinton in 1998. According to PDD63, the critical infrastructures were to be cyber-secure within five years of issuance of the PDD – 2003. Yet control system cybersecurity still has not been adequately addressed by the intervening Democratic and Republican administrations.

Jan 16, 2025 | controlglobal.com | Joe Weiss

There continues to be a gap between the engineering organizations responsible for reliability, functionality and safety on the one hand, and the network security organizations responsible for network security on the other. This was evident in the recent White House Energy Modernization Cybersecurity Implementation Plan and the associated comments on a LinkedIn post on the use of webservers in instrumentation systems.