The comparison of the program and logic files used in plant systems to the safety controller is crucial in detecting malware and advanced adversaries within the environment, providing a safer workplace for employees and equipment. In the case of an incident response, dealing with hazardous situations becomes critical as attackers may trigger time bombs or backdoors, which could be detrimental to people's safety.
The process of pushing program and logic files to the safety controller, and comparing them with what is running on the system to ensure reliability and security, is explained by a guest on the podcast. The importance of pulling logs and artifacts from devices amidst potential threats from untrusted parties is emphasized.
A plant worker recalls feeling uneasy about working in an unsafe plant environment with poisonous H2S gas, and later jokingly asking a process engineer about the presence of HP printers in the plant.
Incident response in industrial control systems is a challenging and risky task, as shutting down the plant could result in significant financial losses. When dealing with advanced adversaries or system malfunction, management may be hesitant to take the drastic measures required for incident response, such as shutting down the plant.