Apparatus and method for assigning cyber-security risk consequences in industrial process control environments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9800604-B2
Application number	US-201514705379-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 6, 2015
Priority date	May 6, 2015
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

A method includes identifying multiple devices or groups of devices in an industrial process control and automation system. The method also includes, for each device or group of devices, (i) obtaining impact values identifying potential effects of a failure or compromise of the device or group of devices due to one or more cyber-security risks and (ii) identifying a consequence value using the impact values. Multiple impact values associated with different categories of potential effects are obtained, and the consequence value identifies an overall effect of the failure or compromise of the device or group of devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
identifying multiple devices or groups of devices in an industrial process control and automation system;
for each device or group of devices:
obtaining impact values identifying potential effects of a failure or compromise of the device or group of devices due to one or more cyber-security risks, wherein multiple impact values associated with different categories of potential effects are obtained; and
identifying a consequence value using the impact values, the consequence value identifying an overall effect of the failure or compromise of the device or group of devices; and

using the consequence value for a first of the devices or groups of devices to modify the consequence value for a second of the devices or groups of devices based on a process control connection between the first and second devices or groups of devices.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the different categories of potential effects comprise:
a category associated with impacts to health or safety of individuals or to an environment associated with the control and automation system;
a category associated with a production process performed or managed by the control and automation system; and
a category associated with an organization operating the control and automation system.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein each impact value comprises an identification of one of: no impact, a minor impact, a moderate impact, a high impact, and a critical impact.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the consequence value for one device or group of devices comprises:
assigning a numerical value to each of the impact values obtained for the device or group of devices; and
identifying a largest of the numerical values associated with the device or group of devices.

5. A method comprising:
identifying multiple devices or groups of devices in an industrial process control and automation system; and
for each device or group of devices:
obtaining impact values identifying potential effects of a failure or compromise of the device or group of devices due to one or more cyber-security risks, wherein multiple impact values associated with different categories of potential effects are obtained;
identifying a consequence value using the impact values, the consequence value identifying an overall effect of the failure or compromise of the device or group of devices; and
calculating one or more risk scores associated with the device or group of devices, each risk score associated with at least one of the one or more cyber-security risks and calculated using the consequence value for the device or group of devices.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a graphical user interface identifying details of at least one of the one or more cyber-security risks, the details identifying at least one of the potential effects associated with at least one of the devices or groups of devices.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the impact values comprises:
presenting a graphical user interface comprising a list of the devices or groups of devices and inputs for each device or group of devices, the inputs configured to receive the impact values in the different categories.

8. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
using the consequence value for a first of the devices or groups of devices to modify the consequence value for a second of the devices or groups of devices based on a process control connection between the first and second devices or groups of devices.

9. An apparatus comprising:
at least one processing device configured to:
identify multiple devices or groups of devices in an industrial process control and automation system;
for each device or group of devices:
obtain impact values identifying potential effects of a failure or compromise of the device or group of devices due to one or more cyber-security risks, wherein multiple impact values associated with different categories of potential effects are obtained; and
identify a consequence value using the impact values, the consequence value identifying an overall effect of the failure or compromise of the device or group of devices; and

use the consequence value for a first of the devices or groups of devices to modify the consequence value for a second of the devices or groups of devices based on a process control connection between the first and second devices or groups of devices.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the different categories of potential effects comprise:
a category associated with impacts to health or safety of individuals or to an environment associated with the control and automation system;
a category associated with a production process performed or managed by the control and automation system; and
a category associated with an organization operating the control and automation system.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein each impact value comprises an identification of one of: no impact, a minor impact, a moderate impact, a high impact, and a critical impact.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein, to identify the consequence value for one device or group of devices, the at least one processing device is configured to:
assign a numerical value to each of the impact values obtained for the device or group of devices; and
identify a largest of the numerical values associated with the device or group of devices.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to:
generate a graphical user interface identifying details of at least one of the one or more cyber-security risks, the details identifying at least one of the potential effects associated with at least one of the devices or groups of devices.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein, to obtain the impact values, the at least one processing device is configured to:
present a graphical user interface comprising a list of the devices or groups of devices and inputs for each device or group of devices, the inputs configured to receive the impact values in the different categories.

15. An apparatus comprising:
at least one processing device configured to:
identify multiple devices or groups of devices in an industrial process control and automation system; and
for each device or group of devices:
obtain impact values identifying potential effects of a failure or compromise of the device or group of devices due to one or more cyber-security risks, wherein multiple impact values associated with different categories of potential effects are obtained;
identify a consequence value using the impact values, the consequence value identifying an overall effect of the failure or compromise of the device or group of devices; and
calculate one or more risk scores associated with the device or group of devices, each risk score associated with at least one of the one or more cyber-security risks and calculated using the consequence value for the device or group of devices.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying computer readable program code that when executed causes at least one processing device to:
identify multiple devices or groups of devices in an industrial process control and automation system; and
for each device or group of devices:
obtain impact values identifying potential effects of a failure or compromise of the device or group of devices due to one or more cyber-security risks, wherein multiple impact values associated with different categories of potential effects are obtained;
identify a consequence value using

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Knapp Eric D
• Koelemij Sinclair

Classifications

• H04L63/1433 Primary

  Vulnerability analysis · CPC title

• G06F3/04842

  Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F21/57

  Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities · CPC title

• G06F3/04817

  using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) · CPC title

• G06F21/577

  Assessing vulnerabilities and evaluating computer system security · CPC title