homepage
Menu
Open menu
  • Training
    Go one level top Back

    Training

    • Courses

      Build cyber prowess with training from renowned experts

    • Hands-On Simulations

      Hands-on learning exercises keep you at the top of your cyber game

    • Certifications

      Demonstrate cybersecurity expertise with GIAC certifications

    • Ways to Train

      Multiple training options to best fit your schedule and preferred learning style

    • Training Events & Summits

      Expert-led training at locations around the world

    • Free Training Events

      Upcoming workshops, webinars and local events

    • Security Awareness

      Harden enterprise security with end-user and role-based training

    Featured: Solutions for Emerging Risks

    Discover tailored resources that translate emerging threats into actionable strategies

    Risk-Based Solutions

    Can't find what you are looking for?

    Let us help.
    Contact us
  • Learning Paths
    Go one level top Back

    Learning Paths

    • By Focus Area

      Chart your path to job-specific training courses

    • By NICE Framework

      Navigate cybersecurity training through NICE framework roles

    • DoDD 8140 Work Roles

      US DoD 8140 Directive Frameworks

    • By European Skills Framework

      Align your enterprise cyber skills with ECSF profiles

    • By Skills Roadmap

      Find the right training path based on critical skills

    • New to Cyber

      Give your cybersecurity career the right foundation for success

    • Leadership

      Training designed to help security leaders reduce organizational risk

    • Degree and Certificate Programs

      Gain the skills, certifications, and confidence to launch or advance your cybersecurity career.

    Featured

    New to Cyber resources

    Start your career
  • Community Resources
    Go one level top Back

    Community Resources

    Watch & Listen

    • Webinars
    • Live Streams
    • Podcasts

    Read

    • Blog
    • Newsletters
    • White Papers
    • Internet Storm Center

    Download

    • Open Source Tools
    • Posters & Cheat Sheets
    • Policy Templates
    • Summit Presentations
    • SANS Community Benefits

      Connect, learn, and share with other cybersecurity professionals

    • CISO Network

      Engage, challenge, and network with fellow CISOs in this exclusive community of security leaders

  • For Organizations
    Go one level top Back

    For Organizations

    Team Development

    • Why Partner with SANS
    • Group Purchasing
    • Skills & Talent Assessments
    • Private & Custom Training

    Leadership Development

    • Leadership Courses & Accreditation
    • Executive Cybersecurity Exercises
    • CISO Network

    Security Awareness

    • End-User Training
    • Phishing Simulation
    • Specialized Role-Based Training
    • Risk Assessments
    • Public Sector Partnerships

      Explore industry-specific programming and customized training solutions

    • Sponsorship Opportunities

      Sponsor a SANS event or research paper

    Interested in developing a training plan to fit your organization’s needs?

    We're here to help.
    Contact us
  • Talk with an expert
  • Log In
  • Join - it's free
  • Account
    • Account Dashboard
    • Log Out
  1. Home >
  2. Blog >
  3. ICS Cheat Sheets: It’s Not Cheating If You Have an Effective and Safe Approach!
DeanParsons_340x340.png
Dean Parsons

ICS Cheat Sheets: It’s Not Cheating If You Have an Effective and Safe Approach!

Walk through several new ICS Cheat Sheets to guide the community in answering critical ICS security questions.

April 26, 2021

Construction_worker_with_blueprint.jpg


Are you wondering which industrial control system (ICS) assets are commonly targeted and where to get critical security logs? Are you planning to conduct an ICS security program assessment at either a strategic or technical level? Maybe you want to map your existing program, or start a new one that aligns with important functions of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework to protect your control network. Or perhaps you just want to know more about the technical details of the industrial protocols in use on your ICS network.

We have just published several new ICS Cheat Sheets to guide the community in answering these and other critical ICS security questions. The tri-fold ICS Cheat Sheets are applicable to all ICS sectors. Let’s briefly walk through them together!

Common_ICS_Acronyms.jpg

1. Common ICS Acronyms

This Cheat Sheet is literally the “ABC’s” of the industrial control system security arena. It is a handy collection of the most commonly referenced acronyms used in SANS ICS courses, ranging from security for Operational Technology (OT) to Information Technology (IT). Terminology for critical engineering operations, security models, devices, and assets are covered, as are ICS applications for plant operations, with acronyms for everything from Active Cyber Defense Cycle (ACDC) to Human Machine Interface (HMI), Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU), Remote Terminal Unit (RTU), Safety Instrumented System (SIS), and Cross-Site Scripting (XSS).

Keep this ICS Cheat Sheet in your pocket for a handy reference if you’ve just entered the ICS engineering or security areas.

ICS_Cybersecurity_Program_Maturity.jpg

2. ICS Cybersecurity Program Maturity

Applicable to any industrial control system sector, this Cheat Sheet covers the basics of using the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework (CSF). The Cheat Sheet concentrates on seven NIST CSF areas that help leadership, engineers, and administrators gauge the overall maturity of a new or established industrial security program and identify areas for risk reduction. The seven areas are Policies – ID.GV, Network Segmentation and Isolation – PR.AC, Access Control – PR.AC, Logging and Monitoring – DE.AE, Asset Inventory Management – ID.AM, Incident Response – RS.RP, and Security Awareness – PR.AT applied to the control environment. The NIST CSF is available at https://www.nist.gov/cyberframework.

Use this ICS Cheat Sheet to map key functions of the NIST CSF to what is important for a security program implemented to protect control system environments.

ICS_Security_Assessment_Guide.jpg

3. ICS Security Assessment Guide

This Cheat Sheet provides basic yet technical considerations to kick-start an ICS security assessment. It covers risk surface evaluations, penetration testing, and red team assessments, and promotes defining the goals of an assessment, key personnel to include, and effective methods to gather the right data for evaluation. Vulnerability identification, network segmentation, and access control – all covered in this Cheat Sheet – are critical areas to understand when assessing ICS risk surfaces and how evaluation may impact operations.

Use this ICS Cheat Sheet to help support a paper-based or technical security assessment to identify general or technical gaps of a security program implemented to protect control environments, while at the same time considering safety and operations as the top priority.

ICS_Site_Visit_Plan.jpg

4. ICS Site Visit Plan

This Cheat Sheet is all about planning industrial site visits by preparing and building relationships with teams before arriving, conducting ethical hacks of the physical security perimeter, discussing cybersecurity and safety discussions on site, and establishing a critical ICS asset inventory process. Organizing direct discussions on security and safety at the facility allows for direct observations and provides operational context for the environment where digital assets are located. For example, IT Security Awareness content is not enough for ICS Security Awareness training programs. This will guide teams to leverage the physical engineering safety culture by drawing parallels between physical safety and cyber “safety” events and sharing lessons learned from real-world ICS case studies such as CRASHOVERRIDE, TRISIS, HAVEX, STUXNET, etc.

Use this Cheat Sheet when preparing for site visits, starting an ICS asset inventory, and initiating discussions around what an impactful cyber event would be like in an environment and how to detect or prevent it.

ICS_Protocols.jpg

5. ICS Protocols

This Cheat Sheet brings together technical details about some of the most commonly used ICS protocols across several ICS sectors and global regions. It covers protocols across Fieldbus, Fieldbus Management, Site SCADA, and Regional SCADA areas, and also includes names, Ethernet types, port numbers, and available encryption capabilities. You can get details beyond what is provided by referring to the associated protocol specifications or vendor specifications.

Use this Cheat Sheet for security incident response, for engineering troubleshooting efforts when putting in place ICS network security monitoring, and for improving understanding of protocol types and usage in control networks.

Modbus_RTU-TCP.jpg

6. Modbus RTU/TCP

This Cheat Sheet covers the basics of using Modbus Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) and Modbus Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) (available at https://www.modbus.org/). The sheet reviews their differences and provides an outline of the packet structure for both protocols for easy reference. It includes tables of read-and-write function codes, a primer on how to use a simple tool to interact with Modbus TCP clients on a network, and quick tips on using packet filters for Modbus and related exploit modules.

Use this specific Modbus RTU/TCP ICS Cheat Sheet to help dissect, understand, or troubleshoot Modbus commands on your control network(s).

How to Use These ICS Cheat Sheets

Beginning to Build an ICS Security Program – Phase 1:

Start with the ICS Acronyms Cheat Sheet to learn the common and key terminology used for the technologies, security models, critical assets, and processes in your environment. Once you have a foundational understanding, the ICS Cybersecurity Program Maturity Cheat Sheet will help you align a new or established program with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework applied to ICS. For more technical assessments, the ICS Security Assessment Cheat Sheet can be used to identify more technical controls or technology gaps to reduce ICS operational safety risks.

ICS_Phase_1.jpg

Already Established ICS Security Program – Phase 2:

The ICS Site Visit Plan Cheat Sheet will help you will establish and maintain strong relationships to smooth ICS network security monitoring, incident response, and promote the role of ICS security in supporting the safety and reliability of operations. Once ICS-aware network security monitoring is deployed, the ICS Protocols and the Modbus RTU/TCP Cheat Sheets will help you examine network traffic and determine the specific ICS operating protocols in use – which in turn will help guide incident response investigations and engineering process troubleshooting.

ICS_Phase_2.jpg


ICS Resources

Join the conversation in the ICS Community Forum, where more than 4,000 ICS professionals share lessons learned, ask questions, and connect with others passionate about securing our critical infrastructure. https://ics-community.sans.org.

The ICS Cheat Sheets, ICS Blogs and other ICS resources are available at https://www.sans.org/industrial-control-systems-security/

To learn more about Dean Parson's please check out his Biography and ICS Contributions.

Share:
TwitterLinkedInFacebook
Copy url Url was copied to clipboard
Subscribe to SANS Newsletters
Receive curated news, vulnerabilities, & security awareness tips
United States
Canada
United Kingdom
Spain
Belgium
Denmark
Norway
Netherlands
Australia
India
Japan
Singapore
Afghanistan
Aland Islands
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antarctica
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba
Bosnia And Herzegovina
Botswana
Bouvet Island
Brazil
British Indian Ocean Territory
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Colombia
Comoros
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Cote D'ivoire
Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska)
Curacao
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
East Timor
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French Southern Territories
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Heard And McDonald Islands
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Iraq
Ireland
Isle of Man
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Jersey
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Korea, Republic Of
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia, Federated States Of
Moldova, Republic Of
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands Antilles
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
North Macedonia
Northern Mariana Islands
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Reunion
Romania
Russian Federation
Rwanda
Saint Bartholemy
Saint Kitts And Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome And Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Sint Maarten
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
South Africa
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Sudan
Sri Lanka
St. Helena
St. Pierre And Miquelon
Suriname
Svalbard And Jan Mayen Islands
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania, United Republic Of
Thailand
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad And Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks And Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States Minor Outlying Islands
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City State
Venezuela
Vietnam
Virgin Islands (British)
Virgin Islands (U.S.)
Wallis And Futuna Islands
Western Sahara
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

By providing this information, you agree to the processing of your personal data by SANS as described in our Privacy Policy.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Tags:
  • Industrial Control Systems Security

Related Content

Blog
Industrial Control Systems Security
May 19, 2025
Culture Over Checklists: How NextEra Is Rethinking NERC CIP with People at the Center
When people ask me what makes a successful NERC CIP program, my answer is always the same: it’s not just about compliance, it’s about culture. You can meet every regulatory requirement and still be vulnerable. You can pass every audit and still lack resilience. The organizations that stand out—the...
370x370_Jason-D-Christopher.jpg
Jason D. Christopher
read more
Blog
emerging threats summit 340x340.png
Digital Forensics, Incident Response & Threat Hunting, Offensive Operations, Pen Testing, and Red Teaming, Cyber Defense, Industrial Control Systems Security, Cybersecurity Leadership
May 14, 2025
Visual Summary of SANS Emerging Threats Summit 2025
Check out these graphic recordings created in real-time throughout the event for SANS Emerging Threats Summit 2025
No Headshot Available
Alison Kim
read more
Blog
Blog - Cloudy with a Chance of_340 x 340.jpg
Industrial Control Systems Security
May 13, 2025
Cloudy with a Chance of Industrial Cyber Threats, Part 1
Cloud in ICS/OT can enable scalable data storage, remote monitoring, analytics, disaster recovery, & industrial process control capabilities.
DeanParsons_340x340.png
Dean Parsons
read more
  • Company
  • Mission
  • Instructors
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Press
  • Contact Us
  • Careers
  • Policies
  • Training Programs
  • Work Study
  • Academies & Scholarships
  • Public Sector Partnerships
  • Law Enforcement
  • SkillsFuture Singapore
  • Degree Programs
  • Get Involved
  • Join the Community
  • Become an Instructor
  • Become a Sponsor
  • Speak at a Summit
  • Join the CISO Network
  • Award Programs
  • Partner Portal
Subscribe to SANS Newsletters
Receive curated news, vulnerabilities, & security awareness tips
United States
Canada
United Kingdom
Spain
Belgium
Denmark
Norway
Netherlands
Australia
India
Japan
Singapore
Afghanistan
Aland Islands
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antarctica
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba
Bosnia And Herzegovina
Botswana
Bouvet Island
Brazil
British Indian Ocean Territory
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Colombia
Comoros
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Cote D'ivoire
Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska)
Curacao
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
East Timor
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French Southern Territories
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Heard And McDonald Islands
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Iraq
Ireland
Isle of Man
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Jersey
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Korea, Republic Of
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia, Federated States Of
Moldova, Republic Of
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands Antilles
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
North Macedonia
Northern Mariana Islands
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Reunion
Romania
Russian Federation
Rwanda
Saint Bartholemy
Saint Kitts And Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome And Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Sint Maarten
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
South Africa
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Sudan
Sri Lanka
St. Helena
St. Pierre And Miquelon
Suriname
Svalbard And Jan Mayen Islands
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania, United Republic Of
Thailand
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad And Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks And Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States Minor Outlying Islands
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City State
Venezuela
Vietnam
Virgin Islands (British)
Virgin Islands (U.S.)
Wallis And Futuna Islands
Western Sahara
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

By providing this information, you agree to the processing of your personal data by SANS as described in our Privacy Policy.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
  • Contact
  • Careers
© 2025 The Escal Institute of Advanced Technologies, Inc. d/b/a SANS Institute. Our Terms and Conditions detail our trademark and copyright rights. Any unauthorized use is expressly prohibited.
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn