Training Skids

At iTrust, an emphasis is placed on applied research. At the same time, we want to ensure that our infrastructure caters to training. Besides the testbeds, which are geared towards intensive research by faculty, researchers and external collaborators, iTrust has a suite of four training skids that serves as a realistic and safe training ground for students in the cyber-security related courses at SUTD.

These training skids are equipped with PLCs and controls that emulate the processes in SWaT, and are equipped with a milliamp meter, potentiometer, key switches, light push buttons with open/close contacts temperature probes, ultra mini photo sensor, MOXA network switches, and access point.

The first training skid to be built was a Rockwell training skid as it is the brand of PLC used in the SWaT testbed. Test scenario for firmware can be tested on the training skid before the applying it on the testbed. The training skid is also equipped with a servo motor, variable speed drive, power meters, an Allen Bradley firewall and ETAP. It also comes with three different remote digital/analogue I/Os: FLEX and, 1715, Point, as well as a local ControlLogix I/O.

To provide a wider base for learning and training, three other training skids with PLCs commonly used in industry were also built:

National Instruments
The NI training skid comes with cRIO-9063, an embedded real-Time controller with reconfigurable FPGA and which runs on NI Linux Real-Time OS. The Processor and FPGA can be programmed in C/C++ using the LabVIEW Real-Time Module and FPGA module respectively. The training skid also comes equipped with remote digital/analogue I/Os, a secure router and wireless client.

Schneider
The Schneider training skid comes with Modicon Quantum CPU, a special-purpose computing system with digital processing capabilities. It is designed for real-time control in industrial and manufacturing applications in a modular expandable architecture. The training skid is also equipped with remote digital/analogue I/Os, a secure router and wireless client.

Siemens
The Siemens training skid comes with the latest SIMATIC S7-1500 controller and is compatible with Siemens Step 7 and TIA software. The training skid also comes equipped with remote digital/analogue I/Os, scalance network switches, a secure router and wireless client.

With these infrastructure, students can hone their programming and hacking skills, and see the cyber impacts of their work on the training skids, before upgrading to the actual testbeds. In line with iTrust’s mandate of knowledge transfer, the skids will also be available to local government and private agencies for staff training.