Another PCSRF conference call today. Still no progress on developing Common Criteria protection profiles for control systems or subsystems. A smaller working group is being formed in PCSRF to begin drafting one or more protection profiles. This is a sensible move for writing a very complex document.

A new group, the Process Control Systems Forum (PCSF) was formed on Wednesday, February 9th. PCSF is an industry / government organization led by DHS. The official purpose is:

“the Process Control Systems Forum is to accelerate the development of technology that will enhance the security, safety and reliability of process control and SCADA systems by providing a single venue for technologists from all user sectors, from all vendors and from academia to work together in evaluating, specifying, developing, refining and testing new technologies”.

So PCSF will help bring SCADA security products and technologies to market. It will not develop standards or regulations. So even if the PCSRF and PCSF are close acronyms, not to mention the PCSC, they are quite different.

I was happy to hear that Peter Miller of DHS is involved. Peter was our point of contact for our DHS research project. He was involved in venture capital prior to joining DHS. A great background to assist with bringing solutions to market and a first class guy.