Nashville, TN – This October, SecurityWeek, in partnership with MTSI, will offer the Cyber Attack Methods (CAM) course for the second consecutive year as part of the 25th Anniversary Industrial Control Systems (ICS) Cybersecurity Conference. This intensive, hands-on training is designed to provide participants with the insights needed to understand the real nature of attacks against cyber-physical systems.

Understanding how adversaries compromise cyber-physical systems requires more than reading threat reports or reviewing lists of attack techniques. Defenders must understand how attackers examine a system, identify opportunities, and connect individual weaknesses to achieve a larger operational objective. The CAM course bridges this gap.

Learning to Think Like an Attacker

Cyber-physical systems connect digital components with equipment and processes in the physical world. A successful attack against these environments can extend far beyond the loss of data or temporary system downtime, potentially affecting safety, mission readiness, productivity, revenue, and the availability of essential services. CAM is designed to help participants understand how those attacks unfold by placing them directly in the role of an adversary.

Working inside an intentionally vulnerable virtual cyber-physical environment, students will progress through system discovery, vulnerability exploitation, and the execution of mission-focused attacks. Rather than discussing adversary behavior only in theory, participants will work through the attack process with their hands on the keyboard. The objective is not to turn students into hackers. It is to give the people responsible for designing, building, testing, and protecting cyber-physical systems a practical understanding of how attackers think and operate. Participants will learn how adversaries enumerate systems, identify and exploit weaknesses, and combine individual actions to create meaningful operational consequences. They will also evaluate possible mitigations and consider how architecture, development, and security decisions can reduce attack surfaces and make systems more resilient.

Built for More Than Cybersecurity Teams

While security practitioners can benefit from the course, CAM is particularly relevant for the broader community responsible for cyber-physical systems—including systems engineers, security engineers, programmers, developers, designers, and testers. That broader audience is important because many decisions that ultimately determine whether a system can withstand an attack are made before it enters production. Engineers and developers who understand adversary methods are better positioned to recognize risky assumptions, anticipate unexpected attack paths, and incorporate security into system design and testing.

No previous cybersecurity experience is required. The guided course is intended to make the material accessible to participants from different technical backgrounds, although familiarity with the Linux command line and some programming experience will help students get the most from the exercises. MTSI’s cyber-physical systems team brings experience in hacking, reverse engineering, and penetration testing across mission-critical aviation, maritime, weapons, and defense systems. Team members also conduct cyber-physical security research and have competed successfully in prominent hacking competitions, including DEF CON’s ICS Village and Biohacking Village capture-the-flag events.

Training and Conference Access in One Registration

The CAM course begins with a full day of instruction on Tuesday, October 6, followed by half-day sessions on Wednesday and Thursday. The schedule allows participants to attend sessions from the broader ICS Cybersecurity Conference when training is not underway. The $3,995 registration fee includes:

• The complete Cyber Attack Methods training course
• A self-contained virtual machine containing the CAM simulation, exercises, and lesson content
• A certificate of course completion
• Access to ICS Cybersecurity Conference sessions
• Conference meals, networking events, and social functions — full conference pass.

Students may retain the course virtual machine after the event, allowing them to revisit the exercises and continue learning beyond the classroom. Participants must bring an Intel-based laptop capable of running the required virtual machine. ARM-based MacBooks are not supported. The course is available exclusively to United States citizens.

Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that understanding cyber-physical systems requires more than theoretical knowledge. Practical training like this, which simulates real attacker techniques, is crucial for securing critical infrastructure, defense systems, and industrial processes. This course offers a vital edge to both security professionals and engineers, enabling them to anticipate and prevent potential attacks.

"Effective security for cyber-physical systems requires design and testing from the attacker's perspective; theory alone is insufficient."

Seats for this immersive training are limited. Engineers, developers, testers, and security professionals who want to move beyond abstract descriptions of cyber-physical attacks and experience the attack process for themselves are encouraged to register as soon as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is any prior cybersecurity experience required for this training?
   No, no prior cybersecurity experience is required. The course is designed to be accessible to participants from various technical backgrounds.
2. Can I attend other conference sessions?
   Yes, the CAM course schedule allows participants to attend sessions from the ICS Cybersecurity Conference outside of training times.