From a young age, Michael knew that he had found his challenge in technology; building systems and applications is interesting, but breaking and manipulating systems in ways that were not intended is way more interesting. After his studies, Michael worked as an offensive cybersecurity specialist in the field of server and (web-)application infrastructures, after which he made the transition to Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR) specialist and coördinator. In his current role, Michael leads the Security Operations team at Eye Security, fighting cybercrime on the European SMB market.

Security of Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and critical infrastructure is difficult enough in normal times—and becomes exceptionally challenging amid rising geopolitical tensions. This presentation explores the fundamental differences between traditional IT security and the specialized security needs of control systems found in modern critical infrastructure, such as the electricity grid, water treatment facilities, and transportation networks.

We will delve into how ICS environments centres around the process properties rather than the CIA model  in classical IT security, and why security solutions designed for IT often fail—or even cause harm—when applied to operational technology (OT) systems. This will cover unique ICS constraints , such as legacy hardware, real-time operations,  limited patching abilities, and unique supply-chain issues.

The talk will also examine recent real-world cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, highlight how geopolitical actors are leveraging cyber capabilities in asymmetric warfare, and offer ways forward on building resilience.

Dr.  Kursawe earned his PhD in 2001 from the University of Saarbrücken in collaboration with IBM Research Zurich, working on securely distributing services over unreliable networks. Following his doctorate, and before that topic became popular thanks to Bitcoin, he continued at IBM until 2003 with a focus on Trusted Computing, and later held positions at Philips, KU Leuven, and Radboud University as well as several Startups, where he further honed applied security research.

As co-founder and Chief Scientist of the European Network for Cyber Security (ENCS), Dr. Kursawe helped shape cybersecurity strategies for grid operators and national authorities across Europe, occasionally convincing engineers and policy-makers to agree on the same definition of “secure.” He has served on multiple international expert groups and contributed to research projects aimed at keeping the lights on and the turbines spinning.

More recently, he joined DNV, working primarily on training for the energy and industrial sectors, now also working on new challenges such as the energy transition and the impact of geopolitical events  on the security of critical infrastructures.

Ashkan Vila is the SOC Manager for the DACH region with Eye Security. Hunting and researching Threat Actors with a background in Threat Intelligence and Incident Management, he now focuses on keeping the backbone of our society safe.