roam/ot-ics-security-rampcurriculum.org

ot-ics-security-ramp/curriculum

• Key Context
• Self-Assessment Results (2026-09-29)
• Methodology (decided 2026-09-29)
• OT/ICS Deep-Dive Progress (started 2026-09-29)
• Protocol Deep-Dive Session (2026-10-06)
• Status

Curriculum tracking for ot-ics-security-ramp — self-assessment, methodology, and deep-dive progress. See ot-ics-security-ramp/glossary for the running quiz-ready term glossary and ot-ics-security-ramp/reading-list for standout resources worth keeping/sharing.

Key Context

• Startup secures networks of utility companies — this is OT/ICS/critical-infrastructure security, not general enterprise security.
• Trigger: interview process surfaced that Aner didn't know "RAT" or "C2" despite solid underlying concept knowledge (8200 SDR, Gita WiFi/Bluetooth security research) — a terminology/lingo gap, not a concept gap.
• Daily RSS reading habit already established (Krebs, SANS ISC, CISA Advisories, etc.).

Self-Assessment Results (2026-09-29)

Full results and corrected misconceptions (IOC/IOA swap, Kerberoasting) logged in ot-ics-security-ramp/glossary. Biggest blanks going in: APT, TTP, living-off-the-land, exfiltration, most of the defensive stack (EDR/XDR/SIEM/SOAR/NDR/etc.), cloud security beyond self-taught k8s, IR/forensics entirely, frameworks/compliance entirely, vendor landscape partial only.

Methodology (decided 2026-09-29)

Hybrid approach, not one-size-fits-all:

• Conceptually rich + currently blank domains (OT/ICS fundamentals, IR/forensics, frameworks/compliance, defensive stack) → conversational deep-dive, one section at a time, discuss before moving on.
• Pure vocabulary/naming gaps (vendor landscape, acronym expansion, APT/TTP-style terms) → quick reference pass, no deep discussion needed.
• Priority reorder given the utility-company detail: OT/ICS fundamentals first, ahead of generic defensive-stack coverage.
• Standing workflow preference: auto-update ot-ics-security-ramp/glossary and ot-ics-security-ramp/reading-list with every new term/resource covered, without asking first or narrating "I'll add this" — just do it.

OT/ICS Deep-Dive Progress (started 2026-09-29)

Covered so far (full definitions in ot-ics-security-ramp/glossary): IT-vs-OT / AIC triad; Purdue Model levels 0-5 + Level 3.5 DMZ; ICS protocols (Modbus, DNP3, IEC 61850/GOOSE, IEC 104, OPC-UA); canonical attack case studies (Stuxnet, Ukraine grid/Industroyer, TRITON/SIS, Metcalf sniper attack); OT vendor landscape (Dragos/Claroty/Nozomi "big three" plus Tenable.ot, MS Defender for IoT, Forescout, Armis, vendor-native); 2026 threat landscape from the Dragos Year in Review (KAMACITE/SYLVANITE/BAUXITE, MSP/GIS as supply-chain targets — see ot-ics-security-ramp/reading-list); NERC CIP compliance (NERC/FERC/BES scope, electric-only vs water/gas, CIP-002/005/007/008/010/013/014); OT/ICS hands-on lab tools (pymodbus, opendnp3, OpenPLC, GRFICS, Conpot, T-Pot, MiniCPS, ScadaBR). Not yet covered: IR/forensics (queued), general frameworks/compliance beyond NERC CIP (NIST CSF, ISO 27001, SOC 2, CIS Controls, STIX/TAXII), remaining defensive-stack acronyms (EDR/XDR/SIEM/SOAR/NDR/NGFW/IDS/IPS/DLP/ZTNA), cloud security beyond k8s (CSPM/CWPP/CIEM).

Protocol Deep-Dive Session (2026-10-06)

Completed the priority-redirect protocol session: SNMP (new — manager/agent, MIB/OID, GET/SET/TRAP, v1/v2c plaintext community strings vs. SNMPv3); Modbus (deeper — function codes, four data tables, Modbus Security/TLS retrofit, FrostyGoop case study); DNP3 (deeper — object-based types, unsolicited reporting, DNP3-SA HMAC challenge-response mechanics, Aggressive Mode replay flaw per Cremers et al.); GOOSE (deeper — pub-sub over raw Ethernet L2/multicast MAC, stNum/sqNum and how Industroyer forged them, SCD engineering files, IEC 62351-6, PRP/HSR, process-bus/station-bus segmentation risk); IEC 104 (deeper — ASDU/Information Object typing, port 2404, regional dominance vs. DNP3, IEC 62351-3/5); OPC-UA (deeper — object-oriented address space, X.509/Security Policies, horizontal cross-vendor-interop origin vs. vertical IT/cloud bridging vs. emerging field-level/TSN use). New terms (compensating controls, brownfield/greenfield, MES, etc.) and all new reading resources logged to ot-ics-security-ramp/glossary and ot-ics-security-ramp/reading-list as covered, per standing convention. Produced ot-ics-security-ramp/protocol-comparison as a standalone side-by-side reference across transport, data model, security posture, Purdue level, and known attacks.

Status

Protocol deep-dive session complete (2026-10-06). Next up per original queue: IR/forensics, then frameworks/compliance (NIST CSF, ISO 27001, SOC 2, CIS Controls, STIX/TAXII), remaining defensive-stack acronyms, cloud security beyond k8s.