Virtual DCS Security Operator for IT-OT Incident Correlation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Security incident detection in cloud-native distributed control systems (DCS) is challenging due to the vast amounts of data to process and the isolated treatment of IT-related and OT-related data, requiring improved automatic security incident responses that can contain breaches and react quickly to prevent further system spread.
Innovation Solution
A Virtual DCS Security Operator that monitors both IT-related and OT-related data, correlates them using domain-specific rules, and autonomously reacts to security incidents by issuing commands to IT and OT infrastructure, with dynamic configuration and integration into a container orchestration framework.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If IT-related data and OT-related data are treated separately, then data processing is simpler, but security incident detection capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges IT-related data and OT-related data processing into a unified security management system that correlates both data types together. The system integrates log data from IT infrastructure with operational data from OT processes, enabling comprehensive security incident detection that leverages correlations between IT and OT events that would be invisible in isolated analysis.
2Loss of time
If manual security incident response is used, then response accuracy is higher, but response time deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements pre-configured response rules and automated response mechanisms that are prepared in advance. When security incidents are detected, the system automatically executes predetermined response actions based on the incident type and severity, eliminating manual response delays while maintaining accurate responses through pre-validated rule sets.
3Productivity
If automated security response is implemented, then response speed is improved, but system complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service automated response system where the security management system autonomously detects incidents, evaluates them against predefined rules, and executes appropriate responses without requiring complex manual intervention or additional external systems. The system serves itself by automatically managing the entire incident response lifecycle.
4Measurement precision
If comprehensive data correlation is performed, then security detection accuracy is improved, but data processing load deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by performing data correlation and analysis at specific relevant points rather than uniformly processing all data. The system correlates IT and OT data selectively based on incident context, focusing computational resources on relevant data relationships that indicate security incidents rather than processing all possible data combinations.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for security incident detection in a cloud-native distributed control system (DCS) in industrial process automation includes monitoring information technology, IT-related data and operation technology, OT-related data at a production process and at a containerized DCS associated with the production process. The method further comprises joint analysing of first data indicative of first monitoring data from the monitoring of the IT-related data and of second data indicative of second monitoring data from the monitoring of the OT-related data. The method further comprises, based on the joint analysing, detecting a security incident under consideration of predetermined security incident detection rules: The method further comprises, based on a result of the detecting, responding on a detected security incident for handling of the detected security incident under consideration of predetermined security incident response rules.