Getting Started in ICS/OT Cyber Security: FREE Labs & Course

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Mike Holcomb offers a FREE course with 50+ pages of hands-on labs to help beginners dive into ICS/OT Cybersecurity. Over 30,000 learners have watched his YouTube course, and now, you can access structured labs covering:

  • ICS/OT Cyber Security Overview
  • Control Systems & Protocols
  • Secure Network Architecture
  • Asset Registers & Inventory Management
  • Threat & Vulnerability Management
  • OSINT for Industrial Controls
  • Incident Detection & Response
  • ICS/OT Penetration Testing Basics

https://www.youtube.com/@utilsec

You Should Know: Practical ICS/OT Security Commands & Steps

1. Network Scanning in OT Environments

Use Nmap to discover ICS devices (avoid aggressive scans!): 

nmap -sS -Pn -T4 --min-rate 1000 -p 80,443,502,102,44818 <OT_IP_Range>

– 502 (Modbus), 102 (S7comm), and 44818 (EtherNet/IP) are common ICS ports.

2. Modbus Protocol Interaction

Use mbpoll (Modbus CLI tool) to query devices:

mbpoll -a 1 -b 9600 -P none -t 3 -r 1 -c 5 /dev/ttyUSB0

3. ICS Asset Discovery with OT-Attackify

git clone https://github.com/OT-Base/ot-attackify 
cd ot-attackify 
python3 ot_discovery.py --range 192.168.1.1/24

4. PLC Password Cracking (Ethical Use Only!)

Using PLCscan for Siemens S7:

python3 plcscan.py -i 192.168.1.100 -p 102

5. ICS Packet Capture & Analysis

Capture industrial traffic with Wireshark filters:

tshark -i eth0 -Y "modbus || s7comm || ethernet/ip" -w ot_traffic.pcap

6. Hardening ICS Systems

  • Disable unused services on Windows-based HMIs: 
    Stop-Service -Name "WinRM" -Force 
Set-Service -Name "WinRM" -StartupType Disabled

7. Logging & Monitoring

Forward ICS logs via Syslog-ng:

sudo syslog-ng -F -f /etc/syslog-ng/syslog-ng.conf

What Undercode Say

ICS/OT security requires passive scanning, protocol understanding, and air-gapped testing. Unlike IT, OT systems prioritize availability over confidentiality. Key takeaways:
– Use Nmap cautiously (avoid DoS).
– Modbus/TCP and S7comm are prime targets.
– Password-less PLCs are common—always check defaults.
– Wireshark profiles for ICS protocols save time.
– Patch management is critical (e.g., Siemens SIMATIC vulnerabilities).

🔗 More Resources:

Prediction

As OT/IT convergence grows, attacks like ransomware on SCADA will rise. Future labs may include AI-driven anomaly detection and quantum-resistant cryptography for ICS.

Expected Output

[+] Discovered Modbus device at 192.168.1.10:502 
[+] PLC Siemens S7-300 detected (no auth required). 
[+] Wireshark capture saved: ot_traffic.pcap

References:

Reported By: Mikeholcomb Getting – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅

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