ISA delivers cybersecurity training courses at United States National Guard's Cyber Shield Exercise


RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., April 20, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The International Society of Automation (ISA) announced today that it will deliver hands-on, standards-based industrial control systems cybersecurity training courses at the upcoming National Guard Cyber Shield Exercise, held at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, 17-30 April 2016. More than 900 soldiers, airmen, Marines, sailors, and civilians representing 47 states and territories will participate in training and testing activities to assess their skills in responding to cyber-incidents on the National Guard computer network.

Participants, which include representatives from Army National Guard, Air National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers, Marines, sailors, and civilians from state government agencies, federal agencies, industry partners, and academia, will focus on training cyber teams on network defense, forensic analysis, reporting and mitigation, and incident response through interagency partnerships and collaboration.

ISA was chosen by the National Guard as an industry partner because of its leadership and experience in developing the world's only consensus-based industrial cybersecurity standard. ISA is a nonprofit professional association that provides professional development resources for those who apply engineering and technology to improve the management, safety, and cybersecurity of modern automation and control systems used across industry and critical infrastructure.

ISA has been developing industry standards for more than 67 years, with 150 different standards in its portfolio, representing the expertise of more than 4,000 industry experts worldwide. Industry standards help automation professionals streamline processes and improve industry safety, efficiency, and profitability.

The ISA99 standards development committee brings together worldwide Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity Experts from industry, governments, and academia to develop standards on industrial automation and control systems security, guided by the accredited processes of the American National Standards Institute. The series of standards, adopted globally by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) as the IEC 62443 series, is designed to provide a flexible framework to address and mitigate current and future vulnerabilities in industrial automation and control systems compromise could result in endangerment of the public or a company's employees, violation of regulatory requirements, loss of proprietary or confidential information, economic loss, or adverse impacts on national security. The ISA standards approach the cybersecurity challenge in a holistic way, bridging the gap between operations and information technology; and between process safety and cybersecurity.

"Given the interconnectivity of today's advanced computer and control networks—where vulnerabilities exploited in one sector can impact and damage multiple sectors—it's essential that cybersecurity standards be broadly applicable across industries or sectors," commented Automation Federation Managing Director Mike Marlowe, whose organization worked with NIST to include ISA/IEC 62443 in its Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity. "The ISA/IEC 62443 Industrial Automation and Control Systems Security series of standards is a multi-industry initiative applicable to all key industry sectors and critical infrastructure."

ISA will deliver four ISA/IEC 62443 standards based courses with hands-on labs that support the security lifecycle of an industrial automation and control system. ISA will also offer dozens of participants the opportunity to pass exams and earn three different cybersecurity certificates.

"The National Guard is committed to strengthening network cybersecurity and developing National Guard capabilities to respond to cyber incidents," said Maj. Robert N. Felicio, Cyber Shield J3, Exercise Control Operations Officer, US National Guard. "We are working closely with our interagency partners and the private sector to strengthen network cybersecurity and capabilities to support local responses to cyber incidents."

"ISA is proud to be selected as an industry partner for this critical National Guard exercise," said ISA Executive Director and CEO Patrick Gouhin. "As a global resource for industrial control systems cybersecurity, we are honored to stand behind the men and women who serve in uniform, and we look forward to providing high-quality, unbiased educational content to ensure that their teams can successfully mitigate cyber incidents and protect networks from cyber vulnerabilities."

The operations technology focused ISA courses, several featuring hands-on, applications-based lab exercises, include:

Training course participants will also have the opportunity to take an exam to prove their knowledge and earn up to three different ISA certificates:

  • ISA/IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Fundamentals Specialist
  • ISA/IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Design Specialist
  • ISA/IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Maintenance Specialist

These certificates are part of a comprehensive ISA/IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Certificate Program, offered to students taking the ISA suite of cybersecurity courses. For more information about all of ISA's cybersecurity offerings, including standards, books, training courses, individual certificate programs, conformity assessment programs, and more, visit www.isa.org/cybersecurityresources.

To learn more about bringing ISA's automation and control training courses to your facility, or to find out how to take a course online, contact ISA at +1 (919) 549-8411.

About ISA
The International Society of Automation (www.isa.org) is a nonprofit professional association that sets the standard for those who apply engineering and technology to improve the management, safety, and cybersecurity of modern automation and control systems used across industry and critical infrastructure. Founded in 1945, ISA develops widely used global standards; certifies industry professionals; provides education and training; publishes books and technical articles; hosts conferences and exhibits; and provides networking and career development programs for its 40,000 members and 400,000 customers around the world.

ISA owns Automation.com, a leading online publisher of automation-related content, and is the founding sponsor of The Automation Federation (www.automationfederation.org), an association of non-profit organizations serving as "The Voice of Automation." Through a wholly owned subsidiary, ISA bridges the gap between standards and their implementation with the ISA Security Compliance Institute (www.isasecure.org) and the ISA Wireless Compliance Institute (www.isa100wci.org).



            

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