Attendees at the 2007 Meeting of the Process Control Systems Forum in Atlanta last week witnessed the launch of a web-based tool designed to accelerate collaboration in securing control systems in the energy sector. The on-line ieRoadmap (Interactive Energy Roadmap) tool delivers a comprehensive list of current projects throughout the energy control systems community. The PCSF website is hosting this user-friendly aid for implementing the industry-defined plan in the Roadmap to Secure Control Systems in the energy sector.
"The entire energy control systems community can now use this searchable, on-line tool to view and post key activities within the strategic framework of the Roadmap," said Hank Kenchington of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). "By matching current activities to priority needs, this tool will enable the energy sector to measure its progress in meeting its defined goals and milestones." Kenchington manages control systems security activities within the DOE Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE).
More than 70 representatives of the control systems community contributed to the 2005 Roadmap development effort, which was facilitated by DOE OE in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Natural Resources Canada. The President's National Infrastructure Advisory Council recently recommended the Roadmap as the model for other critical infrastructures in building public-private partnerships to improve control system security.
"This tool will make it easier to spot gaps in coverage and identify opportunities for leveraging resources through partnership," said PCSF technical manager Mike Torppey. "Coordinated public-private partnerships are the key to success in this undertaking." PCSF is hosting the ieRoadmap as part of its mission to provide a collaborative venue for stimulating dialogue, addressing common issues, and raising awareness about activities in control systems security.
Those attending the 2007 Meeting of the Process Control Systems Forum had the opportunity to explore some of the 70 or more projects already posted on the ieRoadmap. Many also seized the opportunity to register for future posting of project updates, which may be submitted by owner-operators, system vendors, government officials, laboratory researchers, members of academia, and others. The tool organizes ongoing projects across the public and private sectors according to the key challenges within each of four goals defined in the Roadmap: (1) Measure and assess security posture, (2) Develop and integrate protective measures, (3) Detect Intrusion and Implement Response Strategies, and (4) Sustain Security Improvements. The ieRoadmap tool was developed by Energetics Incorporated under contract to DOE and is available for exploration at https://www.pcsforum.org/roadmap.
