Bethesda, MD, May 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — – Industrial control systems are increasingly in the crosshairs of sophisticated cyber threats, yet most organizations still lack the internal expertise to safely evaluate their operational environments. SANS Institute is addressing that gap with the launch of ICS613: ICS/OT Penetration Testing & Assessments, a first-of-its-kind course designed to prepare professionals to conduct high-impact, low-risk security assessments in real-world ICS/OT settings. The beta run will take place August 25-29 in Sandy, UT, and will be offered in person only.
ICS613 equips students with the mindset, methodologies, and tools to perform security assessments in environments where uptime, safety, and reliability are non-negotiable. It goes beyond adapting IT penetration testing techniques by offering a purpose-built approach grounded in the realities of operational technology. Participants will gain hands-on experience using a dedicated student kit featuring ICS hardware and software that simulates real industrial sector environments.
“OT penetration testing isn’t just possible—it’s necessary,” said Tyler Webb, Co-Author of ICS613 at SANS Institute. “This course gives practitioners the tools and knowledge to do it safely and effectively, supporting both mission success and operational resilience.”
Attendees span a wide range of roles, from red team operators and incident responders to system assessors and security engineers, united by a need to confidently evaluate industrial systems without disrupting them. ICS613 is especially valuable for organizations aiming to build in-house OT assessment capabilities or reduce reliance on third parties.
“There’s a huge difference between knowing how to find vulnerabilities and knowing how to do it without breaking something critical,” said Don C. Weber, Certified Instructor and Co-Author of ICS613 at SANS Institute. “ICS613 was built to close that gap.”
Register Now: ICS613 Course Page
About SANS Institute
The SANS Institute was established in 1989 as a cooperative research and education organization. Today, SANS is the most trusted and, by far, the largest provider of cybersecurity training and certification to professionals in government and commercial institutions worldwide. Renowned SANS instructors teach more than 85 courses at in-person and virtual cybersecurity events and OnDemand. GIAC, an affiliate of the SANS Institute, validates practitioner skills through more than 50 hands-on technical certifications in cybersecurity. The SANS Technology Institute, a regionally accredited independent subsidiary, offers master’s and bachelor’s degrees, graduate certificates, and an undergraduate certificate in cybersecurity. SANS also delivers a wide variety of free resources to the InfoSec community, including consensus projects, research reports, webcasts, podcasts, and newsletters; it also operates the Internet’s early warning system—the Internet Storm Center. At the heart of SANS are the many security practitioners representing varied global organizations, from corporations to universities, working together to support and educate the global information security community. www.sans.org
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