Evolving role of women in OT/ICS cybersecurity, as S4x25 and BSides for ICS 2025 address inclusion, resilience - Industrial Cyber

Attacks And Vulnerabilities Control Device Security Critical Infrastructure Features The Skills Gap - Training & Development Evolving role of women in OT/ICS cybersecurity, as S4x25 and BSides for ICS 2025 address inclusion, resilience FEBRUARY 02, 2025 As the OT and ICS cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, so does the role of women as they increasingly step into pivotal roles, while driving innovation and cyber resilience. With the industry increasingly facing complex cybersecurity threats and challenges, upcoming events like S4x25 and BSides for ICS 2025 are critical platforms for women professionals to converge, share knowledge, and gain invaluable insights. These conferences are catalysts, empowering women to navigate the intricacies of industrial cybersecurity with confidence and expertise. By engaging in strategic sessions and networking opportunities, women in OT/ICS cybersecurity enhance their technical acumen, redefine their roles within the industry, while also providing catalysts for empowerment, networking, and career advancement. Events like S4x25 or BSides for ICS 2025 open up a unique opportunity to have strategies and solutions tailored to specific needs of an OT (operational technology) and ICS (industrial control system) environment as well as delivery of a special space for the women to engage with and benefit from the industrial cybersecurity community. These events are designed to inspire and motivate women, offering customized sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities tailored to the specific challenges that they face in a traditionally male-dominated field. Women attending these events are similarly eager to dissect the latest trends from threat intelligence to incident response in the process of applying these learnings to fortifying their organizations from cyber threats. This provides an effective collaborative environment that helps in creating a community where women feel empowered to share their experiences and challenges as well, which adds to the knowledge pool. As the role of women evolves in OT/ICS cybersecurity, these conferences show how much importance diversity and inclusion hold over that space to take progress to the next level. Attendees are looking forward to going back to work with actionable insights and strategies that can be applied to improve security postures. By attending these seminal events, women are committed to advancing their careers in the industrial cybersecurity space, while inspiring newcomers to join and thrive in this dynamic and critical field. Sharing knowledge, gaining insights at key ICS cybersecurity events  Industrial Cyber connected with women in the industry to explore the specific skills or knowledge they aim to gain and share by attending events such as S4x25 and BSides for ICS 2025. They also highlighted experiences from past events that have had a meaningful impact on their careers or perspectives in cybersecurity. Sasha Lassiter, industrial consultant at Dragos “Attending and volunteering at security conferences can create memorable connections and change your life,” Sasha Lassiter, an industrial consultant at industrial cybersecurity firm Dragos, told Industrial Cyber. “I’m looking forward to BSidesICS bringing together a unique group of innovators and professionals in the ICS/OT field. I’m so happy to be volunteering at the first ever BSidesICS. Rob Lee as inaugural keynote certainly sets the welcoming and spirited conversational tone. What I hope to get out of BSidesICS is simply helping my friend Mike Holcomb, the founder, have a successful event.” Lassiter added that as far as S4, I haven’t yet had the opportunity to go. “If I were going, I’d technically deep dive into complex topics and forward-thinking conversations. Presentations about defensive strategies, supply chain hardware testing, and what’s on the horizon for detection solutions.”  She added that talks about evolving threat surfaces with the implementation of more AI and increasing use of cloud solutions in ICS/OT environments. “I’d also enjoy socializing and connecting with others in the community.” Najo Ifield, vice president of business development at Covenant Technologies “Attending events like S4x25 and BSides for ICS 2025 provides an incredible opportunity to network with industry leaders, explore innovations in OT/ICS cybersecurity, and gain insights into the latest threat trends and defense strategies,” Najo Ifield, vice president of business development at Covenant Technologies, told Industrial Cyber. “I’m particularly interested in learning about: cyber-informed engineering, supply chain security, what the fireside chat with Dale and Paul Griswold will uncover.” Ifield mentioned that attending industry events has been pivotal in shaping her approach to cybersecurity, risk management, and leadership in OT/ICS security. “These experiences have not only influenced my professional growth and technical expertise but also inspired me to take on leadership roles within my local and global cybersecurity communities.” Noting that S4x18 was a turning point, seeing how few women were represented in OT/ICS cybersecurity motivated her to co-found ‘Women in ICS Security,’ Ifield said it took until S4x20 and several conversations before Women in ICS Security was launched at S4x22. “There is a significant gender gap in ICS security, and the need for mentorship, visibility, and community support is critical. Since founding Women in ICS Security, I have actively worked to create opportunities which have led to mentorship programs, and industry connections for women looking to break into or advance in OT security.” Ashley Fairman, founder and CEO at DICE Cyber Ashley Fairman, founder and CEO at DICE Cyber, told Industrial Cyber that attending events like S4x25 and BSides for ICS 2025 is essential for staying ahead in industrial cybersecurity. “My main goal is to connect with professionals across the industry, operators, engineers, security practitioners, and policymakers, who tackle similar challenges from different angles. Building strong relationships is critical for driving real-world improvements in securing our infrastructure.” “I also want to share my experience leading incident response for the defense industrial base and on a global scale at Google,” Fairman mentioned. “Managing high-stakes incidents and ensuring business continuity under pressure has shaped my approach, and I believe bringing that perspective to the ICS community will help strengthen how we prepare for and respond to threats. Learning how different sectors – energy, water, manufacturing – approach cybersecurity has significantly influenced my strategies, and I’m eager to contribute to and learn from these conversations.” Exploring conferences as catalysts for women in industrial cybersecurity The executives evaluate how these conferences can further support and empower women in the industry. They also explore the specific sessions or workshops that generate the most excitement among attendees, along with the reasons these stand out as particularly impactful or valuable. Lassiter said that getting the opportunity to attend these conferences is a gift. “I’m enthusiastic to share the information that I learn. In-person conferences offer learning opportunities and moments that would never have been available if not in person. Face to face, sharing laughs and engaging in rabbit-hole conversations while toasting one another is unbeatable and creates memories and great working relationships.” Ifield pointed out that these events create safe spaces for women in ICS security to gain visibility, connect, and grow professionally. Some specific ways include representation and visibility – speakers that feature women demonstrate expertise in ICS security; community building – women-focused networking sessions allow professionals to connect with mentors and allies; and advocacy for inclusion – discussions on workplace challenges, leadership opportunities, and career growth in a male-dominated industry. “While S4x25 and BSides don’t specifically focus on the unique challenges women face in OT/ICS cybersecurity, they provide networking spaces for women to connect,” Fairman said. “Over my 20-year career, one of the biggest challenges has been the perception that women aren’t as technical as their male counterparts. I hope to see more meaningful conversations at these events about breaking biases and ensuring women are recognized for their expertise. It’s about making sure we’re at the same table as men, not just in the room.” Analyzing conference strategies and sessions The executives explore ways in which these conferences can further support and empower women in the industry. They also examine whether specific sessions or workshops stand out as particularly impactful, along with the reasons for their significance. “Last year, the SANS ICS Summit 2024 put me in the company of seasoned professionals who are passionate and remarkably intelligent about protecting critical infrastructure,” Lassiter said. “The presentations were all next level, some a bit beyond my grasp at the time, but nonetheless achievable educational growth. The atmosphere overall was pure joy being at Disneyland. I’ll never forget it and can’t wait for this year’s 20th anniversary summit.” She mentioned that another notable event was Dragos’ annual Industrial Security Conference (DISC). “Dragos presentations are seriously cutting edge in content and style, without pretension. They sure know how to create epic networking events. It was an unforgettable, life changing career experience. DISC was where I found my tribe: everyone had a mission to safeguard civilization and, most importantly, everyone belonged.”  To better support women, Ifield said that these conferences should increase the number of female speakers and panelists to improve representation; offer mentorship programs pairing women with senior ICS professionals; provide structured networking opportunities such as women-led roundtables or mentorship breakfasts; and feature sessions on career progression and leadership in OT security.  Some of the specifics Ified provided include Cutting Through AI Hype in ICS Security (Clint Bodungen, ThreatGEN); Malware Identification Models in Industrial Environments (Mars Cheng, TXOne/Trend Micro); Defending Against Low-Skilled OT Threat Actors (Ron Fabela, ABS); Cybersecurity Decision Diagrams: Bridging Engineering & Security (Sarah Fluchs, admeritia); Real-World Attack Scenarios on Critical Infrastructure (Brian Foster, Southern Edison); Redefining Risk Models: Credibility Over Likelihood (Andrew Ginter, Waterfall Security); Real-World SCADA & OT Implementations in Energy (Dennis Hackney, Chevron); Risk-Based Security for PRC Components in the Power Grid (Emma Stewart, INL); and The State of the OT Cybersecurity Market (Richard Stiennon, IT Harvest).  Fairman said she is “excited to see more women, including myself and newer voices like Lindsey Mote, on this year’s agenda. Speaker diversity matters because it brings fresh perspectives, but what truly moves the industry forward is ensuring that professionals are valued based on their expertise, not just diversity. I always look for deep technical talks that push ICS security boundaries and discussions on real-world incident response—those are the spaces where I see the most opportunity to make an impact.” Building bridges through networking at cybersecurity conferences The executives examine the role networking plays at these events and explore the strategies professionals use to connect with their peers. Ifield said that networking is critical at these events, not just for career growth, but also for collaborating on industry-wide challenges. Strategies can include attending structured networking sessions, such as welcome events, happy hours, women’s networking events, Beer ISAC; engaging with speakers after their sessions to ask insightful follow-up questions and connect on LinkedIn; joining pre-event Slack or LinkedIn groups to connect with attendees before the event. For instance, in S4’s case, Whova app is a great way to connect prior to the conference. Lastly, she listed leveraging social media, such as LinkedIn and Twitter, to share thoughts on sessions and invite discussions. Networking at these events is everything, Fairman said. “I make it a point to connect with at least three new professionals in areas I’m less familiar with. Expanding my perspective while sharing my own knowledge is key. Even when exhausted, I prioritize happy hours, meetups, or one-on-one dinners because some of the most valuable conversations happen outside formal sessions. Time is valuable, and I make sure to use it wisely.” Evolving role of women in OT/ICS cybersecurity The executives explore how the role of women in the OT/ICS cybersecurity space is expected to evolve in the coming years. They also provide advice to other women aiming to enter or advance in the OT/ICS cybersecurity field. “Some conferences can do better by including more women speakers to present on complex and technical topics, including leadership based discussions,” according to Lassiter. “All genders belong; we as humans have a passion, talent, and mission in ICS/OT cybersecurity — protect critical infrastructure. We bring loads of vision, innovation, intelligence, insight, and power to the table.” Lassiter said that women who are entering the field or aiming to advance will ask me: ‘How did you get where you are in your career?’ “I follow my north star–mission-minded and aligned to my purpose: help protect critical infrastructure and communities from cyberattacks. I’m honestly aligned to what I want to do and need to do in my life.” When it comes to advice, Lassiter emphasizes being fearless, absorbing knowledge like a sponge, remaining humble, and, above all, staying authentic. “Know your mission. Know your why. Build relationships. Tell your story. And listen.” She added that she will always be forever grateful to the amazing people who have encouraged me, and it is in this spirit that she will pay it forward and help others achieve their career goals, too.  Ifield said that women in OT/ICS cybersecurity are gaining more visibility, and their roles are evolving from purely technical positions to leadership roles. She added that in the next few years, she expects to see more women in leadership roles (CISO, CTO, risk officers) influencing ICS cybersecurity strategies; more women founders of technology and consulting organizations; more women in leadership roles of OEMs and cybersecurity technology organizations shaping the technology the world runs on; increased participation in policy and regulatory decisions shaping industrial cybersecurity; greater representation in technical fields like ICS penetration testing, threat intelligence, and incident response; and more mentorship and advocacy initiatives to support new talent entering the field. As advice to other women looking to enter or advance in the OT/ICS cybersecurity field, Ifield suggests developing technical skills to set up a home lab to experiment with ICS/SCADA systems; building a professional network by joining the local cybersecurity community in the city (if one exists), industry groups like Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS), and participate in local BSides; and finding mentors for technical and career guidance, and identifying sponsors who can advocate for career advancement. She also suggests being visible by speaking at conferences, presenting findings from lab experiments, writing articles, and contributing to discussions in the field. For first time speakers, many conferences (like BSidesNOLA) offer to match with an experienced presenter. They can assist with abstract creation, presentation training, co-present, etc.  Ifield also listed a couple of women leaders in OT/ICS cybersecurity that women aiming to enter or advance should follow on LinkedIn to stay informed, learn from their insights, and expand their professional network. She pointed to Lesley Carhart – director of incident response at Dragos, leading expert in ICS forensics and DFIR; Marina Krotofil – renowned ICS/OT security researcher specializing in cyber-physical attack vectors; Sarah Fluchs – ICS security engineer focused on secure industrial control design and architecture; Selena Larson – senior threat intelligence analyst at Dragos, specializing in industrial threat intelligence; and Kristin Demoranville – CEO and founder at AnzenSage, specializing in resiliency in the food industry. Also founder of Bites and Bytes podcast. “For women entering or advancing in this field—put your name in the hat,” Fairman said. “Don’t wait for permission. Ask questions, do the research, find a mentor, and get hands-on experience. Look to organizations like WiCys for support, and when you get the chance, lift others up. Take up space. Be confident in what you bring to the table.” She added that she is working on getting ICS Village to the National Cybersecurity Center in Colorado. “Hands-on training is crucial, so keep an eye out for that!” On addressing the key takeaways hoping to bring back from these conferences, Ifield said that attending S4x25 and BSides for ICS 2025 is not just about the sessions—it’s about gaining fresh perspectives, expanding network, and identifying actionable strategies that can improve how we approach cybersecurity, risk management, and leadership within organizations. 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