Cyber Testing for Resilient Industrial Control Systems (CyTRICS)

Leveraging strategic partnerships and facilities and analytic capabilities at six National Laboratories to test cyber resilience of energy technologies

CyTRICS partners across stakeholders to identify high priority operational technology (OT) components, perform expert testing, share information about vulnerabilities in the digital supply chain, and inform improvements in component design and manufacturing. CyTRICS leverages best-in-class test facilities and analytic capabilities at six DOE National Laboratories and strategic partnerships with key stakeholders including technology developers, manufacturers, asset owners and operators, and interagency partners.

CyTRICS Supports

Supply Chain Executive Orders
National Defense Authorization Act of 2020 (Sec. 5726 Pilot Program)
Multiple critical infrastructure sub-sectors, including electricity, oil & natural gas, wind and other renewables, hydroelectrics, and other federal partners
Commercial partners for testing

Innovative Components

Prioritization Methodology

An approach to prioritizing OT components for testing that incorporates key factors including operational impact, prevalence, and national security interest. This approach provides a strategic, transparent rationale for testing components that optimizes security impact.

Standardized Testing Process

DOE has developed and refined a standardized approach to enumerating and vulnerability testing firmware and software subcomponents. Standardization ensures consistency, repeatability, and comparability of results, to scale up testing and automation across Labs and partners.

Standardized Reporting and Repository

CyTRICS captures testing results in a standard, bill of materials format that captures granular “digital ingredients” to the subcomponent level, to rapidly identify embedded high-risk components and subcomponents. The program features a central repository of testing results for comprehensive, sector-wide analysis of systemic risks and vulnerabilities.

Vendor Agreements

CyTRICS partners with top manufacturers and utilities in the sector to sign participation Agreements to frame mutual cooperation prior to conducting testing. The standard agreement establishes types of software and firmware testing to be performed, timely disclosure of vulnerabilities identified during testing, and coordinated disclosure of vulnerability information with impacted asset owners, federal agencies, and energy sector stakeholder.

CyTRICS Highlights and Annoucements

Sixth Industry Partner – Rockwell Automation – Signs on to the Department of Energy’s Cyber Testing for Resilient Industrial Control Systems (CyTRICS™) Program

CESER welcomes Rockwell Automation as the sixth industry partner to the CyTRICS program to test critical energy infrastructure components for cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

February 29, 2024

DOE Announces New Partnership with Westinghouse to Enhance Energy Supply Chain Security and Resilience

CESER announced a collaboration with Westinghouse Electric Company to test for potential cyber vulnerabilities in one of the company’s Instrumentation and Controls (I&C) systems used for nuclear applications

February 1, 2024

CyTRICS Partnerships

DOE CESER Helps Fortify the Energy Sector’s Digital Supply Chain with GE Gas Power

DOE Announces Hitachi ABB Power Grid’s Participation in CyTRICS Program

Rockwell Automation Signs on to the Department of Energy’s Cyber Testing for Resilient Industrial Control Systems (CyTRICS™) Program

DOE CESER Partners with Schneider Electric to Strengthen Energy Sector Cybersecurity and Supply Chain Resilience

DOE Announces Cybersecurity Programs for Enhancing Safety and Resilience of U.S. Energy Sector