Industrial control systems run power grids, water treatment facilities, oil pipelines, manufacturing plants, and transportation networks. A cyber attack on an ICS is not just a data breach: it is a potential safety incident with physical consequences. The IT security professional who approaches OT environments without understanding their unique constraints is dangerous. XICS is built for professionals who need to protect environments where availability and safety are more important than confidentiality.
Across six instructor-led days, participants build capability across the complete OT security lifecycle: ICS architecture and the Purdue model, OT-specific protocols (Modbus, DNP3, IEC 61850, S7), threat landscape for critical national infrastructure, OT security assessment using passive methodology, network segmentation and monitoring for industrial environments, OT-specific incident response with safety-first discipline, and regulatory frameworks including UK NIS Regulations, EU NIS2 Annex I, and IEC 62443. Every session respects the operational constraint that in OT environments, testing and patching carry physical risk.
On Day 6, participants conduct a simulated OT security assessment and incident response exercise against a modelled industrial environment. A senior practitioner with OT background observes methodology, safety consciousness, and report quality. XICS certificate and Practitioner Assessment Report issued together.
