About This Session
Cyber physical systems that support municipal infrastructure are becoming increasingly interconnected, creating new opportunities for efficiency while also introducing significant cybersecurity risks. Water treatment facilities, emergency response systems, and public utilities depend on tightly integrated operational technology and information technology environments, making them attractive targets for adversaries seeking to disrupt essential services. This session explores how to secure these complex environments using practical, field tested strategies.
The presentation examines the challenges of protecting systems that must remain continuously available while operating on legacy platforms. It outlines a defense approach centered on network segmentation, where critical control systems are isolated into secure zones to prevent lateral movement during an attack. Attendees will gain insight into implementing monitoring solutions that establish behavioral baselines and detect unusual activity across industrial networks.
Another focus area is the secure integration of remote access capabilities, which are essential for maintenance and operations but often introduce vulnerabilities if not properly controlled. The session explains how strong authentication and controlled access pathways can reduce exposure without limiting operational efficiency.
The discussion also highlights the importance of aligning technical controls with broader resilience strategies, including incident response planning, risk assessments, and adherence to established cybersecurity standards. These elements work together to ensure that systems can withstand and recover from disruptions caused by cyber incidents.
Designed for practitioners working in IT, engineering, and infrastructure domains, this session provides clear, actionable insights that can be applied immediately. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how to secure cyber physical systems while maintaining performance, reliability, and safety in mission critical environments.