OT-ISAC and SUTD sign MOU to bolster OT cybersecurity in Asia-Pacific
Operational Technology ISAC and Singapore university partner on threat intel and research to strengthen critical infrastructure resilience.
Key points
- OT-ISAC and SUTD signed a Memorandum of Understanding for joint cybersecurity research and threat intelligence.
- The partnership aims to enhance critical infrastructure resilience across Singapore and the Asia-Pacific region.
- Collaboration includes cyber exercises, professional training, and knowledge-sharing workshops.
The Operational Technology Information Sharing and Analysis Center (OT-ISAC) and the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on cybersecurity initiatives. According to Industrial Cyber, the agreement focuses on combining research capabilities with industry threat intelligence to strengthen operational technology security.
The partnership leverages SUTD’s iTrust Centre for Research in Cyber Security, which provides hands-on testing and research expertise. OT-ISAC contributes its operational perspective and established network for sharing threat information among industry members. This combination aims to improve how organizations prepare for, respond to, and recover from cyber threats targeting critical infrastructure.
Research and Industry Collaboration
Under the terms of the MOU, the two entities will work together on OT cyber threat intelligence sharing, cyber exercises, and professional training across the region. iTrust will contribute its research findings, testbed capabilities, and lessons learned from its annual OT cyber exercise. These resources are designed to help organizations better understand and mitigate evolving threats in the operational technology sector.
OT-ISAC will facilitate knowledge-sharing activities by working with iTrust on workshops, briefings, and community sessions. This structure allows for the practical application of academic research within the industrial context. The goal is to bridge the gap between theoretical cybersecurity advancements and the practical needs of infrastructure operators in the Asia-Pacific area.
Strengthening Critical Infrastructure Resilience
Prof Jianying Zhou, director of SUTD’s iTrust Centre, stated that the partnership will help develop practical technologies to strengthen OT cyber resilience. He emphasized that the center’s mission is to advance secure critical infrastructure through world-class research, training, analysis, and cyber defense. The collaboration is seen as a key step in achieving these objectives through joint efforts with industry leaders.
AJ Eserjose, director of OT-ISAC, expressed excitement about partnering with SUTD. He noted that combining SUTD’s research capabilities with OT-ISAC’s threat information sharing mechanisms will better defend infrastructure in Singapore. Eserjose highlighted the need to counter increasingly sophisticated, adaptable, and unique cyber attacks targeting critical systems in the region.
What should you do?
Organizations in the Asia-Pacific region should monitor announcements from OT-ISAC regarding new threat intelligence and training opportunities. Infrastructure operators should evaluate their current participation in information sharing communities to ensure they are receiving relevant alerts. Security teams should review their incident response plans to incorporate lessons from recent cyber exercises conducted by partners like iTrust.
What to do and how to stay safe: OT-ISAC
- Review current participation in industry information sharing groups to ensure access to the latest threat intelligence.
- Evaluate existing incident response plans against recent lessons learned from operational technology cyber exercises.
- Monitor official communications from OT-ISAC and SUTD for upcoming workshops and training sessions.
- Assess internal processes for sharing threat data to improve coordination with industry peers during incidents.
General security guidance from the Threat Times newsroom. It is not confirmed advice from the organisations named in this story.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main goal of the partnership between OT-ISAC and SUTD?
The partnership aims to make critical infrastructure in Singapore and the wider Asia-Pacific more resilient to cyber attacks through combined research and threat intelligence.
Which specific centers or organizations are involved in this agreement?
The Operational Technology Information Sharing and Analysis Center (OT-ISAC) and SUTD’s iTrust Centre for Research in Cyber Security are the primary parties involved.
What types of activities will the partners undertake together?
They will collaborate on OT cyber threat intelligence sharing, cyber exercises, professional training, workshops, briefings, and community sessions.
