03 November 2024 – Jonathan F. M. Reyes

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SCADA systems do not eliminate cyber threats to critical infrastructure but can minimize damage by centralizing data and controls onto a digital monitor, allowing supervisory control in one location. Centralizing data and controls to one location also reduces the time it would take to independently monitor and respond to each component of an industrial system.   

SCADA

            Critical infrastructure systems vulnerabilities, according to Toledano (2024), “can be the result of design flaws, coding errors, misconfigurations, or outdated software” (c. 3). If a system does contain design flaws or is misconfigured, then it can cause damage to an entire system.

SCADA RTUs work as digital logs to monitor normal operations and “send the data to the supervisory stream” (SCADA systems n.d.) to alert operators of anomalies. Anomalies can cause a system not to work as intended or designed due to the former vulnerabilities listed or a cyberattack. A quicker alert of an anomaly results in a faster response and recovery time. SCADA’s remote capabilities allow its user to close/stop/shut down specific system components when it is out of perimeter readings. The SCADA system also automatically adjusts systems that have been overlooked if a person reads a reading. This helps eliminate human errors that could been caused by complacency.      

Conclusion

            SCADA systems are still prone to human error if an operator is unaware of how to respond to alerts from the system. However, SCADA still reduces the amount of personnel needed to monitor a whole system with up-to-date reports. Personnel would still be required for the physical security of infrastructure.

Reference

Tolendano, S. A. (2024). Critical Infrastructure Security Cybersecurity Lessons Learned from Real-World Breaches (1st ed.). Birmingham : Packt Publishing.

SCADA systems (n.d.). SCADA Systems. Scadasystems.net. https://www.scadasystems.net/