Patrick Miller is the CEO of Ampyx Cyber and is also a part of this year’s advisory board for the international Industrial Security Conference CPH 2024, which takes place on the 12 – 13 – 14 November. Warm up to the conference in November, with an interesting interview with Patrick.
Would you like to start by introducing yourself, what is your background and how do you work with industrial security?
I am Patrick Miller, CEO of Ampyx Cyber – an international (offices in Portland, OR, USA and Tallin, Estonia, EU) consulting firm specializing in OT/ICS cybersecurity and regulatory/standards consulting and advisory. I have been in ICS since the 1980s starting with telecommunications and spanning the electric, gas, water, wastewater, rail, maritime, mining, and manufacturing sectors. I was one of the original architects of the NERC CIP regulation for the US electric sector and the very first NERC CIP federal auditor.
You are a part of the Advisory board 2024 at the Industrial Security Conference CPH. Why and what do you get out of being on the board?
For me, the best part of being on the board of ISC CPH is having direct access to some of the best ICS/OT cybersecurity content in Europe (and the world). The conference is in my top events (must-attend) for ICS/OT security on the planet. This is in addition to the ability to collaborate on the event with the other board members, who are all brilliant colleagues to work with.
What do you think is relevant in the industry right now?
Geopolitical threats and artificial intelligence top my list of immediate issues.
The deadline for Call for Papers was May 1st for the conference. What were you looking for in the selection of submissions?
I was looking for cutting-edge or under-represented research.
What are you focusing on in your workplace right now? What are you working on at the moment?
We do a wide range of consulting, but our biggest focus lately has been the NERC CIP, NIS2, and CRA regulations as well as anything related to AI/ML/LLMs and the modern industrial operation.
What is the value for you of attending the Industrial Security Conference CPH? And why do you think it’s important for others to attend?
I enjoy the rich mix of content at the event, especially the global perspective. Europe is the crossroads of the world, and this conference reflects that in many ways, ranging from the ideas, research, and approaches shared in the presentations, to the span of perspectives from the attendees coming from all corners of the planet.
What projects are you excited about right now when it comes to Industrial Security?
I am excited about many of the new innovative defensive technologies and methods. These are in response to regulations/standards, threat actor tactics, the terrible crucible of war and hostile geopolitical situations, as well as introduction of AI to almost everything in the technological path leading to OT/ICS. The landscape is shifting and the response is impressive innovation.
What does the future look like in industrial security?
Nation State, non-governmental organization, and criminal threats to critical infrastructure have been uncovered and exposed. Wartime tactics against industrial technologies are expected and visible. Regulations and standards are racing to catch up with threat actor tactics, technological advancement, and the need for resilient industrial operations. This convergence of issues will create a situation for OT/ICS where we are balancing the cutting edge with the legacy, the regulated/standardized with the uncontrolled race for innovation, and shifting geopolitical situations that threaten long-term stability. Industrial organizations that want to survive this era will need to be far more flexible, modular, and decentralized than ever before.
Do you want to join the ISC-CPH conference this November and hear all the great presentations?
Take a look at the conference here and sign up today. Last year more than 300 attendees joined, so this year we have teamed up with a new venue to make room for even more attendees. This year the conference is held at Scandic Copenhagen. Read more about the conference and join today.