The research focus of this paper addresses the lack of empirical research on the application of pedagogy or more properly of andragogy, relating to the education of adults, to forensic training for industrial control systems (ICS). To do this, deficiencies were identified in a 3-day forensic training course for ICS that had been delivered to a number of critical infrastructure companies and military organisations over two years, but it lacked any foundation in educational science. Based on the analysis, the syllabus was redesigned using Kolb’s experiential learning model. The initial focus was on individuals with little or no ICS experience. This paper describes the course’s development and evaluates its suitability for training security professionals in the demands of ICS forensics that are very different from traditional IT systems, especially when the focus is on safety-related applications. The application of this andragogy model was evaluated with self-reporting methods using questionnaires supplemented by more detailed interviews. The application of the experiential learning model established a solid foundation for the structure and delivery of ICS forensic training. This foundation will enable further research to help develop effective ICS forensic training for cyber security professionals.

Authors: Kelsey Collington, Christopher Johnson

Published in: World Congress on Industrial Control Systems Security (WCICSS-2020)

• Date of Conference: 8-10 December 2020
• DOI: 10.20533/WCICSS.2020.0006
• ISBN: 978-1-913572-26-6
• Conference Location: London, UK