Adriana Keesecker<\/p>\n\n\n\n
09\/17\/26<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cybersecurity, Technology, and Society<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SCADA Systems stands for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition and this is a system that human workers use to monitor and control infrastructure, facility-based, and industrial processes. These types of processes include airports and ship controls, gas pipelines, and wind farms that all use SCADA systems to better control their systems for smoother processes. The SCADA system does not directly control the processes in real time, it refers to the systems that coordinate in real time. SCADA also refers to the centralized systems that control and monitor the entire sites, it collects information from the sensors that are on equipment and then operators can control and evaluate what’s next knowing what\u2019s happening within the systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SCADA systems are used in many different industries, this includes energy, transportation, water management, and healthcare. When it comes to energy; SCADA systems are used to monitor and control energy transmission and distribution in real time. It also helps operators catch any issues in real time and solve them. SCADA systems act as a digital nervous system tracking pressure, levels, and temperatures. Operators of these systems use Human Machine Interfaces (HMI) to shut the systems on and off when needed. When it comes to healthcare, SCADA systems are used to control their HVAC systems, monitor their power supply to prevent outages, and track air pressure for life saving machines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are a lot of benefits to the SCADA systems and there is a reason we have continued to use them for so long, but there come some risks that come with this technology as most do. If a risk were to occur with a SCADA system it can impact the security, reliability, and functionality of an infrastructure that used the SCADA system. The first example of this kinda risk is unauthorized access, many SCADA systems have weak OT remote control and this can allow hackers to control these critical infrastructure. Another example of a risk when it comes to SCADA systems involving cybersecurity is failure to comply with industry regulations can result in legal consequences and can lead to cyber threats. That is why regulations are set in place for a reason and it is important to follow to avoid any trouble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A cyberattack against a SCADA system can have many detrimental effects against an infrastructure. There could be physical damage and major financial loss, SCADA systems control physical infrastructures such as water plants and manufacturing lines. If there are any disruptions to these infrastructures it can cause power outages and water malfunctions, this is not only a safety hazard and can result in lawsuits but also a major financial loss to the companies. I think you can say this can be more serious than just a normal cybersecurity attack because it puts people’s lives into danger with it being a physical attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think there are many ways an organization can improve their security and resilience of SCADA systems, first being network segmentation. This is when certain networks are broken into a few different ones to better monitor them instead of being all in one network and information being on one. I think another way to improve security is to update passwords often and keep track of all different types of authentication access. Just overall monitoring their network often can keep any unexpected people or information out of their network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In conclusion, SCADA systems are a very important and useful control system to a company. It does not directly control infrastructures systems but is a very useful tool for human employees and can make their job easier. However, it can be very detrimental if there are any hackers within these systems. It can cause a physical effect amongst the people and important information to get out. That is why it is important that organizations that utilize SCADA systems to update their passwords, better their authentication access, and monitor their network around the clock to prevent hackers from getting in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Works Cited<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Team, The Claroty. \u201cScada Risk Management: Protecting Critical Infrastructure.\u201d Claroty<\/em>, 30 July 2024, claroty.com\/blog\/scada-risk-management-protecting-critical-infrastructure<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Adriana Keesecker 09\/17\/26 Cybersecurity, Technology, and Society SCADA Systems stands for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition and this is a system that human workers use to monitor and control infrastructure, facility-based, and industrial processes. These types of processes include airports and ship controls, gas pipelines, and wind farms that all use SCADA systems to better… <\/p>\n