In today’s interconnected world, modern engineering is increasingly vulnerable to cybersecurity threats that can significantly impact automation systems and the environments they support. These threats pose unacceptable risks, requiring a paradigm shift in engineering practices. This presentation introduces the concept of Cyber-Informed Engineering, a framework that empowers engineers to address these digital risks effectively. By integrating cybersecurity considerations into the design and operation of engineering systems, cyber-informed engineers can enhance monitoring and control signaling, ensuring functional assurance and resilience. This proactive stance represents the next step for the engineering profession, enabling it to meet contemporary challenges head-on and safeguard critical infrastructure from cyber threats. In this presentation, we explore the principles, methodologies, and practical applications of Cyber-Informed Engineering, and discover how this thinking approach can fortify our systems against the growing landscape of cyber risks.
The Cyber-Informed Engineering framework covers twelve principles that inform the characteristics both in our organizations and systems for achieving resilience against these modern cyber threats. In the context of fuel and petrochemical systems, Cyber-Informed Engineering is particularly critical given the sector's reliance on increasingly complex automation and control systems to manage key functions such as production, refining, distribution, and storage of fuels and petrochemicals. These types of systems are essential for ensuring the safe and efficient operation of facilities that handle these volatile substances. However, their intricate nature makes them prime targets for cyber-attacks that could lead to catastrophic consequences, including environmental disasters, economic losses, and threats to human safety. By adopting Cyber-Informed Engineering practices, engineers in the fuel and petrochemical industry can redesign their systems to bolster their resilience against the impacts of cyber threats. This involves implementing robust monitoring mechanisms that can detect anomalies in real-time, ensuring that control signaling is both secure and reliable.
