BLUF
Critical infrastructure are systems and networks that provide functions that are needed and used in everyday life. To be able to monitor the infrastructure as well as analyze the pattern of the systems we have to use an automated tracking system which is where the SCADA system comes in. SCADA means supervisory control and data acquisition, it is a computer based system that analyzes real time data of the system that is being monitored.


What do SCADA do?
The supervisory control and data acquisition system is a computer system that analyzes data and controls equipment that deals with critical and time sensitive material and substances. This system would be used in oil and gas by monitoring the offshore pipes, giving alerts if something were to happen to the pipe, and gathering information about the pipe to let the human know if there is a trend anywhere. The SCADA is an umbrella term that groups all the complex systems that make up SCADA to monitor, analyze, and detect the information that it is given by the piece of equipment.
Vulnerabilities
The big risk that critical infrastructure systems face is that since the electrical signals carry transmission of the information from one location to another it is easier for cybersecurity attacks to happen to the infrastructure. With the help of the SCADA system the electrical system does not have to carry the transmission to all the different places where it could just turn it into the SCADA. The SCADA has a special VPN , where it will usually be the only machine on the network and that makes it much easier for someone to spot that there is something wrong. The SCADA is also in a secure physical location and only allows for authorized personnel close to it.

Conclusion
The addition of the SCADA to critical infrastructure systems has made it more secure because of the physical location barrier and the VPN barrier. It makes it very easy to see an outsider and someone who does not belong on the network or in the building with the SCADA. The SCADA is made up of many parts which help with other many different types of systems to be connected to which helps with dispersing it with different types of systems of old and new.


References
“Scada Systems.”
“What Is Scada? Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition.”
US and Government Accountability Office. “Cybersecurity High-Risk Series: Challenges in Protecting Cyber Critical Infrastructure.” 2023.