BLUF: When considering critical infrastructure, we might think about airports, seaports, power grid, power plants, etc. The importance of protecting and securing this infrastructure is obvious.
Vulnerabilities in Critical Infrastructure Systems.
Critical infrastructure systems are interdependent and will influence each other. When providing services, they also depend on services offered by other systems. Due to the mutual correlation of critical infrastructure systems, vulnerability is transmitted between systems, resulting in vulnerability changes at various dimensions. Also, outdated systems, weak authentication and access control, human factors, and Denial-of-service (DOS) attacks can lead to vulnerability of critical infrastructure.
Role of SCADA in mitigating these risks.
SCADA architecture provides extensive visibility into process and data from essential incident command systems (ICS) components like pumps, valves, and transmitters. It enables the monitoring and control of automatic processes within the ICS. Through automation and supervisory control, SCADA allows for centralized management during critical situations without the need for direct access to the physical ICS components in question.
Conclusion: Given the critical nature of infrastructure systems and their interconnected vulnerabilities, implementing robust measures is essential. SCADA plays a crucial role in enhancing the resilience of these systems by providing real-time monitoring, automated control, and rapid incident response capabilities.
References
- Alcaraz, C., & Zeadally, S. (2023). Vulnerability cloud: A novel approach to assess the vulnerability of critical infrastructure systems. Concurrency and Computation: Practice and Experience, e7131. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpe.7131
- CyberPaul. (2020, December 6). Using SCADA to protect critical infrastructure and systems. ODU Cybersecurity Blog. https://sites.wp.odu.edu/cyberpaul/2020/12/06/using-scada-to-protect-critical-infrastructure-and-systems/