Description

Cybersecurity Training Experience - October 30, 2025 at The Water Tower

Morning Session: Intro to OT Cybersecurity

Time: 9:00AM - 12:00PM

Audience: Water/wastewater utility staff, from operators to leadership, who have a limited IT or OT cybersecurity background.

Overview: This session introduces foundational concepts in industrial cybersecurity, preparing non-technical participants to understand the risks and safeguards related to water system cyber-attacks.

Lunch (provided for registered attendees): 12:00PM - 1:00PM

Afternoon Session: Red vs. Blue Cyber Defense Simulation

Time: 1:00PM - 4:00PM

Session Format: In this interactive simulation, participants will take on the role of Blue Team defenders, working in groups of five to detect, respond to, and recover from cyber-physical threats against a digital replica of a water treatment plant (SWaT Cyber Twin).

Simulation Structure: 

• Blue Team (5 teams of 5) will defend the SWaT Cyber Twin, identifying and mitigating cyberattacks in real time.

• Red Team (attackers) will simulate cyber threats and malicious activities within the system.

• Green Team (support) will provide technical guidance and assistance to help Blue Teams interpret system behaviors and deploy countermeasures.

Platform & Setup:

• Teams will access the SWaT Cyber Twin VMs via their browsers. The VMs will be deployed on Google Cloud in the Atlanta region for the best performance.

• The exercise mirrors real-world scenarios and is modeled after NATO’s Locked Shields format.

• Red and Green team members will be present on-site at The Water Tower.

• Top-scoring team may earn the opportunity to launch a live cyberattack on the physical SWaT testbed in Singapore (remote).

Scoring Criteria: 

Blue Teams will earn points based on their ability to:

• Detect suspicious activity in the cyber twin system

• Correctly identify the issue type (equipment fault or cyberattack)

• Take decisive actions to stop the threat

• Restore the water treatment system to stable operation