OT Cyber Security for Rail Engineers

Summary

Cyber security is an increasingly important consideration for rail engineers working with operational technology systems.

Railways carry significant regulatory and security obligations as part of the UK's Critical National Infrastructure, and as railway OT becomes more connected, legislation such as the NIS Regulations and the Cyber Resilience Bill places growing obligations on operators and their supply chains to manage cyber security risk effectively. Standards, including CLC TS 50701 and IEC 62443, are becoming the benchmark for identifying and managing that risk across the industry.  

For rail engineers working with or around OT systems, this creates a practical challenge. Cyber security responsibilities within railway projects are often unclear, and with budgets already under strain, the cost of getting it wrong both financially and in terms of compliance can be high. Rail engineers increasingly need the knowledge to ask the right questions, make informed decisions, and deliver better outcomes on the projects they lead.  

This one-day course provides rail engineers with the practical knowledge and confidence to address OT cyber security effectively in their own context. By attending, delegates will develop the confidence to engage meaningfully with cyber security specialists, identify risks relevant to their projects, and ensure cyber security is considered at the right stages of the railway engineering lifecycle. Building this knowledge in-house helps organisations identify the right cyber security activities at the right time, delivering better value for money from the engineering work they undertake. 

Learning is embedded throughout the day through live roleplay exercises, ensuring engineers leave with practical, applicable knowledge they can implement directly in their work. 

When engineers understand their cyber security obligations, organisations are better equipped to manage risk proactively, meet their regulatory requirements, and build long-term resilience into the railway systems and projects they deliver. 

Who should attend?

How will I benefit?

• Apply practical knowledge and skills to protect railway operational technology (OT) assets. 
• Have confidence in applying rail-specific cyber standards in the context of relevant regulations. 
• Understand who should be responsible for what with regards to cyber security and where this remains unclear in the industry. 
• Know what exemplary solutions for cyber security look like along with how to deliver realistic and pragmatic solutions. 
• Obtain a stronger capability in managing supply chain and third-party cyber security risks. 
• Gain an appreciation of how cyber security integrates within the wider railway engineering delivery lifecycle. 
• Increase confidence to champion cybersecurity in their role. 

Key topics

• Fundamentals of cyber security – to ensure the audience has a common understanding of the subject area.
• Standards, regulations and guidance - to educate the audience on sources of information to educate themselves with a UK focus.  
• The UK Railway Cyber Security Landscape – which entities are responsible for what and where ambiguity exists. 
• Practical steps to secure railway assets and systems – provides the audience with an understanding of what cyber security success looks like and how to get there. 
• Pragmatic approaches towards cyber security for railways – Helps the audience understand the challenges and solutions to applying cyber security in a real world railway context. 
• Integration of cyber security into railway systems, projects and operations – educates the audience on cyber security considerations to make when procuring new systems, managing legacy systems and making changes to existing systems. 

Meet our trainers

These trainers regularly teach OT Cyber Security for Rail Engineers .