SCADA & Beyond with Alana

Alana Murray

Plain-language Operational Technology and Industrial Control Systems education from 35+ years in the field. Weekly problem-focused episodes teaching structures, trends, and practical approaches for OT/ICS professionals at all career stages. scadaandbeyond.substack.com

Episodes

  1. Sep 3

    Is ICS/OT Ready for GPT-5.6 & Mythos 5.1?

    EDUCATIONAL DISCLAIMERThis podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It isn’t a substitute for engineering judgment, legal advice, or site-specific analysis. Organizations are responsible for evaluating and applying cybersecurity practices within their own operational, safety, vendor-support, and regulatory requirements. AI may be getting faster at finding security flaws than organizations are at verifying and safely fixing them.In ICS and OT, where a rushed patch can interrupt a real process, that isn’t just a cybersecurity problem. It’s an operational risk.In this podcast, I break down what Anthropic’s Mythos 5.1, Fable 5.1, and OpenAI’s GPT-5.6-Cyber could mean for industrial cybersecurity.We’ll separate the claims from the evidence, examine what these models have already accomplished, and explore the question that matters most to industrial organizations:Can ICS and OT teams respond to machine-speed vulnerability discovery without making machine-speed decisions that put operations at risk?We’ll cover:• The difference between Mythos 5.1 and Fable 5.1 • What GPT-5.6-Cyber and OpenAI’s Trusted Access program actually provide • The vulnerabilities Mythos Preview helped identify in Firefox • Why finding a vulnerability isn’t the same as fixing it • Why OT can’t simply “patch faster” • What recent OT threat reporting tells us • Five practical areas OT teams should be thinking about now The biggest takeaway?OT teams have something these models don’t: operational context.You know which assets matter, what normal operation looks like, what can safely change, and what happens if that change goes wrong. That knowledge will become even more important as AI-assisted vulnerability discovery continues to accelerate. Connect with me:www.linkedin.com/in/alana-murray-065a64297 Youtube: @SCADAandBeyondwithAlanawww.alanamurray.comemail: alana@alanamurray.com Get full access to SCADA & Beyond with Alana at scadaandbeyond.substack.com/subscribe

    Is ICS/OT Ready for GPT-5.6 & Mythos 5.1?

  2. Jun 21

    PLC vs DCS vs SCADA

    Are you uncertain about the appropriate use of PLCs, DCS, or SCADA systems? After 36 years in industrial controls, this is the most common question I get. The boundaries between these systems are blurring in 2026, and new factors like edge computing, AI integration, and cybersecurity are completely reshaping the decision landscape. Get full access to SCADA & Beyond with Alana at scadaandbeyond.substack.com/subscribe

  3. May 14

    ISA/IEC 62443: Cybersecurity Best Practices for the Real World

    We're going to cover a lot of ground today. We'll start with what 62443 actually is, break down the standard's structure with real examples, look at the major 2024 updates, explore practical implications for your facility, and finish with concrete next steps you can implement immediately. This isn't going to be a theoretical discussion; everything we cover today comes from real-world implementation experience. Get full access to SCADA & Beyond with Alana at scadaandbeyond.substack.com/subscribe

  4. Apr 9

    Why Your Industrial Control System Is Broken

    So today I want to talk about the three things that slowly turn a decent control system into one that’s a nightmare to live with. Configuration. Architecture. And change. These three things, on their own or working together, are behind most of the dysfunction I’ve seen in ICS environments. Get full access to SCADA & Beyond with Alana at scadaandbeyond.substack.com/subscribe

    Why Your Industrial Control System Is Broken

  5. Mar 13

    Your Building Has a Brain: Here's How It Works

    The building you're in has a brain, but most people who work in or around it don't know that. Until now. In this first episode of my BAS series, I'm breaking down exactly what a Building Automation System is, how it's structured, what it controls, and what all those confusing acronyms, BAS, BMS, DDC, EMS, actually mean. This is the perfect place to start if you work in facilities, controls, or maintenance, or if you're just starting out in the industry. Get full access to SCADA & Beyond with Alana at scadaandbeyond.substack.com/subscribe

    Your Building Has a Brain: Here's How It Works

  6. Mar 6

    Why OPC UA Is the Industrial Protocol You Can't Ignore in 2026

    With 45 million units installed worldwide, OPC UA is poised to revolutionize industrial automation in 2026. If you continue to rely on Modbus, EtherNet/IP, or other legacy protocols, this podcast will show you why it's time to upgrade. Get full access to SCADA & Beyond with Alana at scadaandbeyond.substack.com/subscribe

    Why OPC UA Is the Industrial Protocol You Can't Ignore in 2026

  7. Feb 20

    FOUNDATION Fieldbus

    Whether you're new to fieldbus or you've been wiring panels for years and want to understand what this protocol is really doing under the hood, this one's for you. Get full access to SCADA & Beyond with Alana at scadaandbeyond.substack.com/subscribe

    FOUNDATION Fieldbus

  8. Feb 13

    Modbus TCP vs Ethernet IP.

    After 35 years in industrial controls, I've seen engineers make costly protocol decisions based on one simple misconception: "They're both Ethernet, so what's the difference?" The truth is, choosing between Modbus TCP and EtherNet/IP can make or break your project. In this practical guide, I'll walk you through the real-world differences that matter for your industrial automation projects, from architecture and security to total cost of ownership. Get full access to SCADA & Beyond with Alana at scadaandbeyond.substack.com/subscribe

    Modbus TCP vs Ethernet IP.

  9. Feb 9

    Modbus RTU Fundamentals

    I break down everything you need to know about RTU for real-world troubleshooting and installation. Get full access to SCADA & Beyond with Alana at scadaandbeyond.substack.com/subscribe

  • 9 Episodes

About

Plain-language Operational Technology and Industrial Control Systems education from 35+ years in the field. Weekly problem-focused episodes teaching structures, trends, and practical approaches for OT/ICS professionals at all career stages. scadaandbeyond.substack.com

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