ACSC releases guidance on cybersecurity for operational technology

The Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD’s ACSC) has announced the release of new guidance to help critical infrastructure organisations protect their systems and online supply chains.

Designing robust cybersecurity measures for operational technology (OT) environments is vital to protect the safety, availability, integrity and confidentiality of essential services. It is important that decision-makers are able to make informed and comprehensive decisions when designing, implementing and managing IT environments.

ASD has consulted with industry to develop Principles of operational technology cybersecurity, which have been co-sealed by ASD’s international intelligence partners. The principles are designed to help leaders, developers and other stakeholders consider key cybersecurity risks in OT environments and actions they can take to secure their OT.

Organisations can use the principles for OT to identify and mitigate the cybersecurity risks within their operational technology, subject to their specific requirements.

The authoring agencies recommend an OT decision-maker apply six principles to help determine if the decision being made is likely to adversely impact the cybersecurity of the OT environment:

• Safety
• Knowledge of the business
• Protecting OT data
• Segmenting and segregating OT networks
• Securing the supply chain
• Developing cybersecurity skills
   

If a decision impacts or breaks one or more of the principles of OT cybersecurity, then it will likely introduce a vulnerability to the OT environment.

All organisations can access ASD’s resources for critical infrastructure. Companies can also join the free ASD Cyber Security Partnership Program as a Network Partner to receive the latest cyberthreat alerts and cybersecurity advice.

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