Effectiveness of Paired Next Generation Firewalls in Securing Industrial Automation and Control Systems: A Case Study

Industrial automation and control systems (IACS) are oftentimes the backbone of businesses and critical infrastructure (CI) around the world. They underpin control of nuclear plants, refineries, manufacturing and distribution systems. Today, organisations are routinely targeted by cyber-attackers. Cyberattacks have been increasing in frequency and sophistication. This is especially true of those attacks directed against high-profile operations such as petrochemical refineries. Attackers invest considerable time and money to study a target and probe inherent weaknesses, which they eventually attempt, and succeed in some cases, to exploit. Historically, industrial networks were kept separate from corporate networks. However, significant efficiency gains and demands for digital interconnectivity have driven a convergence between operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) systems. The business of cybersecurity has been evolving dramatically, posing significant challenges to management teams, across all industries and business domains. Countries within the Caribbean, such as Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), are by no means an exception given their dependence on the energy sector and supporting IACSs. This paper examines the effectiveness of next generation firewalls (NGFWs) in their defense of Process Control Networks (PCNs) against malware. It focuses on the case of a process plant complex in T&T.