The Nation-State Attacks Hiding in Your OT Network

In this episode of the Industrial Cybersecurity Insider, Craig Duckworth sits down with Matthew Carr, co-founder of Atumcell and OT penetration testing expert with fifteen years of experience securing operational technology systems.

Matthew shares his journey from vulnerability research to specializing in cyber-physical security, recounting the pivotal moment when his exploit code stopped a production line at a major car manufacturer.

The conversation addresses the critical gaps in OT security, including why most organizations are unaware of what's actually on their networks, the dangers of default passwords on IoT devices, and how attackers often use espionage rather than ransomware to remain undetected.

Matthew reveals how his team safely conducts pentests in production environments, develops proprietary detection rule sets, and helps organizations understand their infrastructure through network mapping.

The discussion encompasses a range of topics, from the risks associated with smart TVs in conference rooms to the motivations behind nation-states targeting critical infrastructure, culminating in practical advice on developing a cybersecurity roadmap for cyber-physical systems.

Chapters:

• (00:00:00) - Welcome and Introduction to Matthew Carr's OT Security Journey
• (00:02:30) - The Moment Exploit Code Stopped a Production Line at a Major Car Manufacturer
• (00:06:15) - Why Most Organizations Don't Know What's Actually on Their OT Networks
• (00:09:45) - The Three Pillars of Adamzsel: Pentesting, Monitoring, and Tabletop Exercises
• (00:14:20) - How Attackers Know Your Infrastructure Better Than You Do
• (00:18:50) - Smart TVs in Conference Rooms: The Hidden Security Risk with Root Access
• (00:22:30) - Espionage vs Ransomware: The Cyber Attacks No One Is Talking About
• (00:26:45) - Why Default Passwords on IoT Devices Are an Attacker's Favorite Entry Point
• (00:30:20) - Building a Cybersecurity Roadmap for Cyber-Physical Systems
• (00:33:15) - Closing Thoughts and Free OT Security White Paper from Adamzsel

Links And Resources:

• Atumcell Website
• Matthew Carr on LinkedIn
• Want to Sponsor an episode or be a Guest? Reach out here.
• Industrial Cybersecurity Insider on LinkedIn
• Cybersecurity & Digital Safety on LinkedIn
• BW Design Group Cybersecurity
• Dino Busalachi on LinkedIn
• Craig Duckworth on LinkedIn

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