BURLINGTON, MA, Aug. 11, 2004 (PRNewswire) -- KEMA is hosting the fourth in a series of industry workshops examining the challenges and solutions to ensuring the cyber security of critical infrastructure control systems. The Workshop is being held in Idaho Falls, Idaho from Aug. 16 - 18 in cooperation with the US Department of Energy's Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) and Sandia National Laboratory.
Control systems, such as supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), are essential to the functioning of the nation's infrastructure and key economic sectors. They operate the core functions of the national infrastructure including electric utilities, natural gas transmission and distribution, water and wastewater systems, petroleum production and distribution, and many other critical industries.
The "Fourth Annual Control System Cyber Security Workshop" has been organized in response to a strong industry interest in continuing KEMA workshops related to the cyber security of SCADA and process control systems. The workshop is a continuation of a series is designed to evolve with the emerging cyber security issues, which are shifting from purely technical challenges into more far-reaching aspects of business including strategic assessments and implementation, policy development, risk management, and legal and insurance issues.
The two and one half-day workshop gathers speakers representing key players in US and international critical infrastructure industries. Workshop participants include top professionals from all industry sectors including utilities, pipelines, oil/gas, water, as well as the government. Workshop participants will gain an enhanced awareness and knowledge of the technical and programmatic issues related to the cyber security of control systems across industry sectors.
Workshop highlights include:
-- Tour of the National SCADA Testbed at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL)
-- Current status and updates of government and industry initiatives
-- Keynote luncheon with US Senator Mike Crapo (Idaho)
-- Regulatory roundtable featuring executives from the US Department of Homeland Security, industry and technology leaders discussing current and pending regulatory and industry changes impacting control system cyber security
Founded in 1927 and based in Arnhem, the Netherlands with subsidiaries and offices worldwide, KEMA employs more than 1,500 full-time professionals and experts in many facets of the energy utility industry. Its Cyber Security Practice helps ensure secure networking of electronic control and protection systems that operate the central functions of electric and gas utilities and water/wastewater systems. It's working with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Department of Energy's Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) to help identify and develop technology to secure these critical control systems. KEMA's North American business operations have headquarters in Burlington, MA.
For more information about the conference, see www.kemaseminars.com
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