SCADA Systems and Critical Infrastructure Vulnerabilities
SCADA systems are in place for the management and surveillance of critical infrastructures, which may include water treatment facilities, power generation plants, and industrial processes. These systems, while extremely useful for efficient operations, also provide major vulnerabilities that can be exploited by adversaries.
Vulnerabilities of Critical Infrastructure Systems
One of the most profound vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure systems is because of the use of old software and hardware. Most of the SCADA systems are dependent on legacy components, which are built without advanced security features and thus vulnerable to attacks (SCADA Systems). Quite often, the same systems are operated using older versions of operating systems and software applications, which are no longer supported or patched for known vulnerabilities.
Critical infrastructure systems, especially aging SCADA controllers and industrial protocols, mostly do not have encryption capabilities (Check Point Software Technologies). This allows attackers to intercept and possibly manipulate communication between system components. Sensitive data, such as usernames and passwords, can be easily captured using sniffing software if the data are not properly encrypted.
Inadequate segmentation is among the common plagues in several critical infrastructure networks. If an attack manages to penetrate the network perimeter, attackers are able to use either flat network architectures or poorly configured firewalls to access the OT systems (Check Point Software Technologies). The lack of segmentation may allow lateral movement through the network and could compromise several systems.
With increased connectivity of the SCADA systems to the internet, they are increasingly exposed to more web-based attacks. Insecure HMIs and PLCs with web interfaces could be at risk of cross-site scripting and SQL injection attacks where the HMIs and PLCs do not have security features (Check Point Software Technologies).
SCADA Applications in Risk Mitigation
Modern SCADA applications now come with advanced security protocols, which help in compensation for the vulnerabilities that exist within legacy systems. Protocols of this nature include strong encryption methods, secure authentication mechanisms, and better access controls (SCADA Systems). These features allow the SCADA systems to safeguard sensitive data and unauthorized access more effectively.
SCADA applications have now stressed the need for appropriate network segmentation and firewall configuration. Isolating critical systems from less secure networks helps reduce the chance of unauthorized access and limits the potential scope of a breach. To strengthen network security, SCADA vendors provide specialized industrial firewalls and VPN solutions. Advanced SCADA systems usually include real-time monitoring and anomaly detection capacities. These features enable operators to identify and react to potential security threats or system malfunctions in a timely manner. The continuously running system behavior analysis by SCADA applications can show unusual patterns that could be signs of a cyberattack or failure of some equipment.
Modern SCADA applications also provide for more effective patch management and system update. This functionality supports the updating of the systems by organizations to keep them current with all the recently issued security patches, thus reducing the potential for exploitation through known vulnerabilities. The same regularly performed updates ensure that the systems possess the latest features and protections against new emerging threats.
Conclusion
With all the vulnerabilities that surround these critical infrastructure systems, SCADA applications help to assuage many of those risks. Modern SCADA systems do offer greater resistance to cyber threats by dealing with issues of legacy software, encryption, network segmentation, and web application security. It is important that the organizations maintain proactive security through constant updates of their systems and fostering collaboration between IT and OT personnel to create comprehensive security policies protecting both technological domains.
References
Check Point Software Technologies. Critical Infrastructure and SCADA/ICS Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities and Threats. https://www.checkpoint.com/downloads/products/top-10-cybersecurity-vulnerabilities-threat-for-critical-infrastructure-scada-ics.pdf
SCADA Systems. Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition – SCADA. http://www.scadasystems.net