Building Capability for Computer Security Assurance Activities Through International Cooperation

Moutenot, Laurent and Berman, Gustavo and Paulino Marques, Ricardo and Smith, Paul and Busquim e Silva, Rodney (2024) Building Capability for Computer Security Assurance Activities Through International Cooperation. In: International Conference on Nuclear Security: Shaping the Future, 2024-05-20 - 2024-05-24, Vienna International Centre (VIC).

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Abstract

This work presents the framework and the outcomes of a pilot Workshop on Conducting Computer Security Exercises for Nuclear Security hosted by the French Nuclear Security Centre of Excellence, designed and organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and subject matter experts from different IAEA Member States, and delivered for the European countries. Computer security exercises are assurance activities that improve cyber security response preparedness for countries, operators and organizations. This workshop employed the IAEA fictitious State of Anshar with a realistic scenario-based storyline, using a sophisticated specifically designed simulation environment capable of simulating real-time operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) cyber-attacks, to train participants with methodologies to prepare, conduct and evaluate computer security exercises. The design of this event considered the IAEA computer security guidance applied for the State of Anshar facilities (Asherah Nuclear Power Plant, Shapash Nuclear Research Institute and Gula Regional Hospital), including simulators of: representative IT/OT systems of nuclear power plant; a heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; physical protection systems; and a radiotherapy clinic in a simulation environment developed based on the lessons learned from the IAEA’s support to the Brazilian Cyber Guardian Exercises (5 editions, from 2018 to 2023) and the Slovenia KiVA Exercise (2022). The participants were exposed to a well-organized real-time escalating campaign by a threat group aiming at different targets within the State of Anshar. They were called to play collectively as members of incident response teams and in this process, improve their capability to design and deploy similar events. The event provided information for the participants to adapt the IAEA simulation environment to their national context, organization and procedures, in order to develop future training or awareness activities more relevant to their Member States. This pilot workshop exceeded the expectations of the trainees in terms of quality of its content and sophistication of IAEA simulation environment. In addition, it increased the international cooperation and sharing of information on how to detect, response and protect against cyber-attacks.