IntelliSense.io has joined the Operational Technology Cyber Security Alliance (OTCSA) to further its aim of providing miners with a safer future with secure optimisation technology that can leverage both operational technology (OT) and cloud environments.

IntelliSense.io has been securely deploying artificial intelligence-based based process optimisation applications on OT networks for its customers globally and, it says, has a future-proof platform.

The OTCSA aims to bridge any dangerous gaps in security for OT and information technology (IT) systems, critical infrastructure and industrial control systems to support and improve the daily lives of citizens and workers in a rapidly evolving world, IntelliSense.io says.

“The convergence of OT and IT networks is exposing industrial control, protection and automation systems to external threats, as seen in the recent past with malwares like Triton, that attacked an oil and gas plant, and in Ukraine, that had its power grid taken down by a cyberattack,” Dr Sandro Barros, CTO, IntelliSense.io, said. “IntelliSense.io has extensive experience on the deployment of AI applications within OT/IT networks and is eager to add its expertise to developing best practices for secure and reliable solutions for the mining industry.”

Elad Ben-Meir, Executive Board Member of the OTCSA and CEO of SCADAfence, said: “We welcome intelliSense.io as the newest member to the OTCSA. As we witness more and more attacks on critical infrastructure, and predictions by Gartner that 75% of CEOs will be personally liable for cyber-physical security incidents by 2024, there is no doubt that the collaboration like we have in OTCSA is the key to success.”

The OTCSA mission is five-fold:

• Strengthen cyber-physical risk posture of OT environments and interfaces for OT/IT interconnectivity;
• Guide OT operators on how to protect their OT infrastructure based on a risk management process and reference architectures/designs that are demonstrably compliant with regulations and international standards such as IEC 62443;
• Guide OT suppliers on secure OT system architectures, relevant interfaces and security functionalities;
• Support the procurement, development, installation, operation, maintenance, and implementation of a safer, more secure critical infrastructure; and
• Shorten the time to adoption of safer, more secure critical infrastructures.

The robust security guidelines of the OTCSA which IntelliSense.io will contribute to, cover the entire mining life cycle – procurement, development, deployment, installation, operation, maintenance and decommission – and address aspects related to people, process, and technology.

OTCSA promotes collaboration among leading IT and OT companies, thought leaders in the cybersecurity community, and vendors and OT operators from a variety of industries. Membership is open to any company that operates critical infrastructure or general OT systems to run its business as well as companies providing IT and OT solutions.