I-Corps: Techniques for Securing and Managing Industrial Control Systems

Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is based on innovations that can help to secure industrial control systems (ICSs) that control the Nation's most critical infrastructure (e.g., the electric power grid, critical manufacturing plants, waste water treatment plants, etc.). The goal of this team's technology is to help minimize compromises that can lead to loss of life, widespread blackouts, environmental disasters, and financial loss. Attacks against ICS operators are increasing each years at the same time that barriers to entry for threat actors seeking to target ICSs are reducing. This I-Corps team developed technology that can detect various attacks on ICSs. The commercial opportunity for this technology is significant. This project explores the commercialization that may lead to a comprehensive ICS security platform that reduces attacks on critical infrastructure ICSs, thus saving lives and minimizing financial loss. This I-Corps project utilizes novel techniques to enhance intrusion detection, access control, network management, and malware detection for industrial control systems (ICSs). During the I-Corps program, this team will explore the uses and potential for commercialization of device fingerprinting techniques that leverage the two fundamental actions of ICSs (data acquisition and physical actuation) and a network-based method for detecting the compromise of programmable logic controllers (PLCs). The I-Corps program will allow the team to understand the most significant threats at organizations that use ICSs. This information will be used to enable the team to prioritize their feature development and to develop an optimal go-to-market strategy.