ICS612: ICS Cybersecurity In-Depth

Important! Bring your own system configured according to these instructions.

A properly configured system is required to fully participate in this course. If you do not carefully read and follow these instructions, you will not be able to fully participate in hands-on exercises in your course. Therefore, please arrive with a system that meets all of the specified requirements.

Back up your system before class. Better yet, use a system without any sensitive/critical data. SANS is not responsible for your system or data.

Mandatory System Hardware Requirements

• CPU: 64-bit Intel i5/i7 (8th generation or newer), or AMD equivalent. A x64 bit, 2.0+ GHz or newer processor is mandatory for this class.
• CRITICAL: Apple Silicon devices cannot perform the necessary virtualization and therefore cannot in any way be used for this course.
• BIOS settings must be set to enable virtualization technology, such as "Intel-VTx" or "AMD-V" extensions. Be absolutely certain you can access your BIOS if it is password protected, in case changes are necessary.
• 16GB of RAM or more is required.
• 200GB of free storage space or more is required.
• At least one available USB 3.0 Type-A port. A Type-C to Type-A adapter is necessary for newer laptops. Some endpoint protection software prevents the use of USB devices, so test your system with a USB drive before class.
• Wireless networking (802.11 standard) is required. There is no wired Internet access in the classroom.
• A wired Ethernet network adapter is required for this course. This can be either an internal or an external USB-based network adapter but you cannot use wireless networking alone.
• SANS has begun providing printed materials in PDF and Web format (electronic workbook). In this new environment, a second monitor and a tablet device can be helpful by keeping the class materials visible while the instructor is presenting or while you are working on lab exercises.

Mandatory Host Configuration and Software Requirements

• Ability to update BIOS configuration settings to enable virtualization (VT-x) support
• Your host operating system must be the latest version of Windows 10, Windows 11, or macOS 10.15.x or newer.
• Fully update your host operating system and hardware drivers prior to the class to ensure you have the right drivers and patches installed.
• Linux hosts are not supported in the classroom due to their numerous variations. If you choose to use Linux as your host, you are solely responsible for configuring it to work with the course materials and/or VMs.
• Local Administrator Access is required. (Yes, this is absolutely required. Don't let your IT team tell you otherwise.) If your company will not permit this access for the duration of the course, then you should make arrangements to bring a different laptop.
• You should ensure that antivirus or endpoint protection software is disabled, fully removed, or that you have the administrative privileges to do so. This course requires full administrative access to the operating system and these products will prevent you from accomplishing the labs.
• Any filtering of egress traffic may prevent accomplishing the labs in your course. Firewalls should be disabled or you must have the administrative privileges to disable it.
• Download and install VMware Workstation Pro 16.2.X+ or VMware Player 16.2.X+ (for Windows 10 hosts), VMware Workstation Pro 17.0.0+ or VMware Player 17.0.0+ (for Windows 11 hosts), or VMWare Fusion Pro 12.2+ or VMware Fusion Player 11.5+ (for macOS hosts) prior to class beginning. If you do not own a licensed copy of VMware Workstation Pro or VMware Fusion Pro, you can download a free 30-day trial copy from VMware. VMware will send you a time-limited serial number if you register for the trial at their website. Also note that VMware Workstation Player offers fewer features than VMware Workstation Pro. For those with Windows host systems, Workstation Pro is recommended for a more seamless student experience.
• On Windows hosts, VMware products might not coexist with the Hyper-V hypervisor. For the best experience, ensure VMware can boot a virtual machine. This may require disabling Hyper-V. Instructions for disabling Hyper-V, Device Guard, and Credential Guard are contained in the setup documentation that accompanies your course materials.
• Download and install 7-Zip (for Windows Hosts) or Keka (for macOS hosts). These tools are also included in your downloaded course materials.

Your course media is delivered via download. The media files for class are large. Many are in the 40-50GB range, with some over 100GB. You need to allow plenty of time for the download to complete before arrival to class. Internet connections and speed vary greatly and are dependent on many different factors. Consequently, it is impossible to estimate the length of time it will take to download your materials. Please start your course media downloads as soon as you get the link. You will need your course media immediately on the first day of class. Waiting until the night before the class starts to begin your download has a high probability of failure.

Your course materials include a "Setup Instructions" document that details important steps you must take before you travel to a live class event or start an online class. It may take 30 minutes or more to complete these instructions.

If you have questions about the laptop specifications, please contact customer service.

ICS612 training is recommended for a diverse range of individuals, including:

• ICS410 Course Alumni - Students who have successfully completed ICS410: ICS/SCADA Security Essentials will have the base knowledge considered as a prerequisite for this course.
• Process Control Engineers
• Systems or Safety System Engineers
• Active Defenders in ICS
• Anyone with significant control system experience interested in understanding processes and methods to secure the ICS environment

• A fully functional SANS ICS612 Student Kit that students will keep after class:
• A CLICK PLC Plus Controller including an additional temperature input module and thermocouple
• Commercial Click PLC Programming software from KOYO Electronics.
• A C-More HMI Operator Interface with HMI development software
• Physical components and attachments for I/O connections to the SANS student kit.
• A highly modified Useless box used as a input device to the Click Plus PLC controller. Useless box can be used in standalone mode as well.
• International power connector kit
• A SANS ICS612 Windows Virtual Machine.
• A SANS ICS612 Kali Virtual Machine.
• A SANS ICS612 Relics Virtual Machine
• Access to the in-class physical ICS range running automation support software such as distributed HMIs, OPC Servers, operational trending software and network monitoring solutions.

ICS612 is an advanced course that focuses on the engineering, implementation, and support of secure control system environments. Students taking ICS612 should have completed ICS410: ICS/SCADA Security Essentials or should have a strong understanding of the objectives taught in that course. The course also builds upon the skills learned in ICS515: ICS Visibility, Detection, and Response, and ICS612 students should have working knowledge of network security monitoring and data collection techniques.

With your purchase of this ICS Security course, you will receive complimentary OnDemand access to ICS310: ICS Cybersecurity Foundations — an added benefit, not a prerequisite or requirement. This course is a great way to reinforce key concepts or fill gaps in your ICS/OT security knowledge, whether you complete it in full or focus on what’s most relevant to you. Within 14 business days, you will receive a non-transferable access code via your SANS account email.

The recommended learning path begins with ICS410: ICS/SCADA Security Essentials to build foundational knowledge. ICS612 builds on this foundation with advanced hands-on skills. For optimal career development, continue on to ICS515 for incident response capabilities or ICS456 for regulatory compliance expertise in critical infrastructure protection.

Industrial Control System Security is the practice of protecting operational technology environments that manage critical infrastructure and industrial processes. It requires specialized knowledge of both cybersecurity and industrial operations, focusing on maintaining system availability, integrity, and confidentiality while ensuring safety and reliability of physical processes that impact the real world.

This ICS security training course will elevate students’ careers by providing hands-on experience with actual industrial components and security techniques specific to OT environments. Participants develop specialized skills highly sought after by critical infrastructure sectors, manufacturing, and energy companies. The practical knowledge gained enables attendees to bridge the IT/OT gap and implement effective security controls in environments where downtime can have severe consequences.