Cyber Resiliency for Critical Infrastructure

Cyber security of industrial control systems is a growing concern in all industries, particularly in the multi-billion-dollar worldwide nuclear industry market. Demands for modern, technology-based solutions emerge daily due to growing criminal and state-actor threats. CNL recognizes the significant emerging and enduring threat to the nuclear industry and other critical infrastructure that cyber-attacks pose. Our efforts are focused on improving Canadian and global cyber-security resilience by providing the capabilities and infrastructure necessary for research into cyber security for industrial control systems, standards and guidance for cyber security in this environment, assessments, and training and exercises. We also provide cyber-security support in designing emerging technologies such as modern digital instrumentation and controls, and for deployment and remote operation of advanced nuclear technologies like small and micro modular reactors.

Teaming up to address the growing cyber security needs of critical infrastructure organizations

In May of 2023, a mock nuclear reactor site at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, became the training grounds for a first of its kind incident response exercise – responding to a blended cyber and physical attack.

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CNL hosts cyber security exercise with leading national and international participants

Over the past few years, CNL has quietly been growing its bench strength in cyber security. Building off decades of experience in mission critical industrial control systems for Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) that segued into cyber security for these systems, in recent years our Fredericton-based team has expanded its area of influence to include other critical infrastructure.

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Meet the Team

Richard BrownCyber Security

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Richard Brown is a Senior Cyber Security Lead in the Applied Physics Branch at CNL. He is part of a team that leverages a hardware-in-the-loop mock-up of a Nuclear Power Plant to conduct research designed to advance the cyber security of operational technology (OT). Research outcomes help to inform regulations and improve the practical application of OT cyber security in Nuclear and other critical infrastructure.

Richard’s current cyber security work addresses compliance and maturity assessments, supply chain methodologies, roles-based training, incident response exercises (tabletop, functional and blended physical/cyber), and maturity of cyber security practices and metrics. Richard shares his expertise with numerous industry groups (CSA, EPRI, COG) that are addressing the challenges of digitalization, cyber threat resilience, and performance metrics.

Marienna MacdonaldCyber Security

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Marienna heads a section that focuses on researching cyber security solutions for industrial controls systems. The work carried out by the group ranges widely, from developing new technologies for detecting anomalies on industrial networks or securing remote communications to a small modular reactor, to developing methodologies for securing the supply chain, measuring security effectiveness within organizations, or conducting incident response exercises to improve preparedness and recovery should a cyber-attack occur. Marienna brings to bear 30+ years in software engineering quality assurance for mission critical systems, to ensuring work is planned, executed, and communicated to a high standard. Marienna was the Canadian representative on an international committee developing guidance for securing the supply chain, and she has played a lead role developing computer-based cyber security training materials for a technical audience.

Dave TraskCyber Security

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Dave holds significant expertise is in the areas of cyber security, supervisory control and data acquisition systems, real-time software development for mission critical systems, standards compliance, and project management. Dave has been instrumental in establishing CNL’s research capability in cyber security for industrial control systems, securing investment in multi-million dollar projects and facilities as well as establishing international partnerships and collaborating relationships.

CNL Awards of Excellence - Distinguished Merit Award: Cyber Security

Alex Amos, Anna Shi, Dave Trask, and Richard Brown

For developing and hosting cyber security incident response exercises.

In 2018, CNL declared cyber security as a strategic research initiative within S&T, to address emergent threats to the security of digital instrumentation and controls systems that are critical for the safe operation of nuclear power plants and other constituents of current and future energy infrastructure. This was timely as cyber security requirements were issued by CSA (formerly Canadian Standards Association) in late 2014, and became a licensing condition for nuclear facilities in Canada. The strategic initiative enables CNL to focus resources in this area to advance the security capabilities of facilities and other critical infrastructure, and thereby the security of Canadians.

The cyber security incident response project is a key research area that is being executed as part of the strategic initiative, and responds to the need for facilities to demonstrate an effective response capability to cyber events. The research, which has culminated in four exercises being held, has resulted in new knowledge and capabilities that have contributed significant practical improvements in incident response that has been shared not only with Canadian nuclear power plants, but international facilities and government organizations.

The work has informed standards and regulation, it has established CNL as a leader in cyber security incident response thus improving the safety and security of Canadians, it has strengthened relationships with numerous national and international industry partners as listed above, and it opens up commercial opportunities in both nuclear and non-nuclear industries – all of these are performance goals that are consistent with CNL’s mission.