SAIMC: Johannesburg branch
November 2014
SAIMC
At the September technology evening, Cobus Pool from Proconics shared his knowledge on cybersecurity. Cobus has extensive experience and qualifications after 18 years working in a wide variety of industries. The event was hosted by EOH.
Alvin Seitz (left) presents Cobus Pool with the SAIMC presenters’ certificate.
He said that the Internet has its advantages but with it comes its own unique disadvantage. Cybercrime is illegal activity committed on the Internet wherein the computer is a target, a tool or both. Identity theft, hacking and spreading of viruses are some of the cybercrimes that can be committed.
Cybersecurity refers to the technologies and processes designed to protect computers, networks and data from unauthorised access, vulnerabilities and attacks delivered via the Internet by cybercriminals. Historically there has been an exponential growth in cyberattacks. They can be broken into three categories: cybercrimes against personnel, property and government. To protect against cyberattacks, firewalls, proxy servers and intrusion detection servers can be deployed. It is no longer just commercial systems that get attacked. There is an increasing threat to industrial control systems by:
* Worms and Trojans.
* Code injection.
* Drive-by downloads.
* Exploit kits.
* Denial of service.
* Botnets.
* Phishing.
* Targeted attacks.
Cobus walked us through the very real dangers presented to our control systems by malicious attackers such as Shodan, Google dorks, insider threats and bottom-up attacks.
Some other topics covered were historical trends, recent incident activity, smart grid trends, local South African development and trends, best practices in protection and assessments.
We thank Cobus for his valued and informative presentation.
Further reading:
SAIMC: Johannesburg
SAIMC
The Johannesburg Branch of the SAIMC hosted a successful Technology Evening on 10 September. The event was well attended and generously sponsored by Phoenix Contact.
Read more...
SAIMC: From the office of the COO: A call to action: Elevating our profession through ECSA registration
SAIMC
SAIMC
The engineering landscape in South Africa is evolving rapidly, and with it, the expectations placed upon us as practitioners. At the heart of this evolution lies a critical imperative: registration with the Engineering Council of South Africa.
Read more...
SAIMC: Durban branch
SAIMC
SAIMC
At SAIMC Durban’s October Technology Evening, Nico Erasmus delivered a thought-provoking presentation on a topic close to every automation professional’s heart: PLC and Drive Manufacturer Generational Hardware - UpGrades, UpGates or UpRates?
Read more...
SAIMC: Johannesburg branch
SAIMC
SAIMC
The Johannesburg Branch of the SAIMC hosted a successful Technology Evening on 10 September. The event was well attended and generously sponsored by Phoenix Contact.
Read more...
Why ECSA matters
SAIMC
SAIMC
I always knew I had to register as a Professional Engineer. Then I opened the registration guidelines.
Read more...
Knowledge Sharing 4 Industry event
SAIMC
SAIMC
The last of SAIMC’s Knowledge Sharing 4 Industry (KS4I) events for 2025 will be held in September.
Read more...
SAIMC: From the office of the COO: Enabling AI-ready manufacturing in South Africa
SAIMC
SAIMC
Last month, I wrote about the ethical use of AI in our daily lives. This month, I want to explore two concepts, backed by different architectures and technologies, that can assist our manufacturing facilities to exponentially increase the pace of their digital transformation.
Read more...
SAIMC: Johannesburg branch
SAIMC
SAIMC
The SAIMC Johannesburg branch hosted its June Technology Evening at the Bryanston Sports Club, where attendees explored a topic beyond the usual scope of process automation.
Read more...
SAIMC: Zambia branch
SAIMC
SAIMC Zambia recently facilitated an industrial visit to the Zamefa Cable Manufacturing Company in Luanshya for twenty automation students from Sinozam. The visit gave students valuable exposure to the advanced technology used in copper and aluminium cable production.
Read more...
SAIMC: Michael Brown named Honorary Senior Member of SAIMC
SAIMC
SAIMC
Michael Brown, a recently retired specialist in control loop optimisation, has been named an Honorary Senior Member of the SAIMC, a rare distinction held by only a handful of individuals.
Read more...
printer friendly version