What Is SCADA
SCADA stands for Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition and is used for Industrial Control Systems (ICS) to control other systems like infrastructure processes (water plants), facility-based processes (airports), and industrial processes (manufacturing) (SCADA systems, 2021). This is basically a technology system used by companies to help operate big machinery systems like traffic lights or water plants because it is easier to use technology for control than physically trying to control each system. Within a SCADA system, there are five subsystems: a Human Machine Interface (HMI), a supervisory station, Remote Terminal Units (RTU), Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), and the communication infrastructure all combined to help execute a process (SCADA systems, 2021).
SCADA Subsystems
The Human Machine Interface according to the article is “an apparatus that gives the processed data to the human operator” meaning there is a machine that processes data and displays it for the operator to know what’s going on (SCADA systems, 2021). The HMI consists of graphs or picture representations of what is being controlled so the operator can see the controls and operations for themselves (SCADA systems, 2021). For example, when operating a water plant the HMI will provide a series of graphs that the human operator can see on their computer and control what the plant will do. A Remote Terminal Unit is a piece of equipment that converts all electrical signals coming from the source into digital values and controls the equipment out in the field (SCADA systems, 2021). For example, an RTU for a water plant controls the flow of the water through the electrical signals it sends. Programmable Logic Controllers are basically the same thing as an RTU, they’re another field device used to control an ICS (SCADA systems, 2021). A supervisory station is “the software and servers responsible for communication with the field equipment like PLCs and RTUs and after that to the HMI software running on the workstations in the control room” meaning this station keeps the HMI and field equipment connected so the operators always know what is going on (SCADA systems, 2021). Lastly, the communication infrastructure connects the RTU to the supervisory station so its signals can be read on the HMI by the human operator (SCADA systems, 2021).
Vulnerabilities of a Critical Infrastructure System and How SCADA helps
All security measures have an issue here and there that comes up during operation hours. Technology can be tricky because you never know what to expect from the systems that day. According to more research, there are a few common vulnerabilities to a critical infrastructure system: network segmentation, DDoS attack, and web application attacks (Iaremenko, 2021). Network segmentation is the division of networks so administrators can control the flow of traffic based on policies and when this is lacking then anybody can hack into the network and access valuable data (Iaremenko, 2021). A DDoS attack slows down computer systems and affects the availability of an organization’s information to its employees (Iaremenko, 2021). Web application attacks rely on the vulnerability of the HMI or PLC’s increased connection to the network making them accessible by remote access (Iaremenko, 2021). If accessed remotely from an outside source, then the network is victim to “cross-site scripting and SQL injection attacks” which no organization wants to find itself having to fight against those situations (Iaremenko, 2021). Each vulnerability is its own scary attack on cybersecurity that all organizations must protect themselves from if they rely on technology to protect its important data. That is where SCADA systems come into play.
How SCADA Mitigates Risks
SCADA helps mitigate cybersecurity risks in many ways. SCADA can “obtain information leading to better process traceability” meaning any process that is proven to be good can be replicated and improved to be of a better use for a company’s protection (Advantages Offered by Our SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System), 2018). SCADA also stores lots of information including past mistakes which help make the creation of new training regimens easier by reviewing what didn’t work in the past (Advantages Offered…, 2018). It helps that SCADA defeats the purpose of physical oversight with the use of technology making the job easier for operators that are in charge of watching over the HMI, meaning all operators have to do is make sure the SCADA systems are operating at their highest potential (Advantages Offered…, 2018). Without SCADA systems, industrial control systems like traffic lights or water plants would be harder to manage and would be costly to hire more employees to physically do the job instead of digitally. Cybersecurity is a tricky concept, but with the help of employees, training, and use of technology like SCADA systems companies are in good hands.