Vulnerability of infrastructure systems
Infrastructure systems have been part of our tech world for centuries, but as the world evolves, so do the risks to them. Vulnerabilities are a weakness in the critical infrastructure systems, much like a solid window that has a crack, which makes it subject to shatter. A vulnerability for infrastructure is the evolution of systems. Older systems can be in a remote place, making it harder to grant access and increasing the risk of physical assault on the system. The updated security measures may not be applied, which subjects it to cyberattacks. Another risk is the unavailability of vendors who supply their parts. As time goes on, the hardware needed to operate the computer or system changes, which can lead to fewer supplies of older models. Since these are issues, the Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems have procedures in place to compact these by monitoring and controlling the system.

SCADA Role in risk management
According to Guide to Industrial Control Systems (2015), the SCADA system collects data from the field, transports the collected data to a computer, the operator controls and monitors the information from a Human Machine Interface (HMI), and then is able to control the system from a different location. For the SCADA system to operate, it has sensors & actuators, a programmable logic controller (PLC), remote terminal units (RTU), telecommunicators, clients, and servers. The sensors measure and transfer the information to a control system, which then sends it to the PLCs or RTUs. These devices control the actuators and can also monitor sensors. (pg. 21) The SCADA system should have an alarm to alert the operators if there are any abnormalities which helps reduce risks of unauthorized users or system failure.

Conclusion
As systems evolve the risks factors they face like, aging systems, cyber attacks and lack of supplies become affects. These cause disruptions but systems like SCADA help to monitor and control the risk management.


References
NIST. Guide to Industrial Control Systems (ICS) Security. (2015, May). https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/specialpublications/nist.sp.800-82r2.pdf

Nankya, M., Chataut, R., & Akl, R. (2023, October 30). Securing industrial control systems: Components, cyber threats, and machine learning-driven defense strategies. MDPI. https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/21/8840#:~:text=Indeed%2C%20attackers%20targeting%20industrial%20control,manipulate%20data%20and%20control%20commands.