The Chemical Process Industry and Cybersecurity

The chemical process industry is a rich target for cyber attackers who are intent on causing harm. Current risk management techniques are based on the premise that events are initiated by a single failure and the succeeding sequence of events is predictable. A cyberattack on the Safety, Controls, Alarms, and Interlocks (SCAI) undermines this basic assumption.

Essential Security Measures

Each facility should have a Cybersecurity Policy, Implementation Plan, and Threat Response Plan in place. The response plan should address how to bring the process to a safe state when controls and safety systems are compromised. The emergency response plan should be updated to reflect different actions that may be appropriate in a sabotage situation.

Role of IT Professionals and Guidelines

IT professionals, even those working at chemical facilities, are primarily focused on the risk to business systems. This book contains guidelines for companies on how to improve their process safety performance by applying Risk Based Process Safety (RBPS) concepts and techniques to the problem of cybersecurity.