Write-Up: Scada Systems

The SCADA System is for managing and monitoring large-scale operations like manufacturing, transportation, energy production, and water treatment, also known as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition. The remote terminal units and programmable logic controllers, which collect and process data, the supervisory system, which collects and processes data, the human-machine interface, which enables operators to view and control processes, and the communication network, which links all of these components together, are the main components of a SCADA system. Operators then react to alarms and make adjustments based on this information. These data are kept in tag databases by SCADA systems, which continuously monitor various input and output points. In order to warn operators of possible issues like high temperatures, system failures, or loss of flow, these systems also produce alarms. There have been three primary generations of SCADA systems over time: networked, distributed, and monolithic. Open communication standards like Modbus TCP/IP and DNP3 are used in today’s SCADA systems to increase performance and compatibility. These systems are more vulnerable to malware attacks and illegal access, though as they grow more interconnected. In order to mitigate these risks, vendors are now using application whitelisting firewalls and industrial VPNs. To sum up, SCADA systems are essential to maintaining the efficient operation of vital infrastructure. They help us watch the system to make them work more efficiently and help them find and fix any problems before they get worse. SCADA systems are very important because they keep our industries safe and reliable, and keep them running smoothly by how they use technology and communication together.

Write-Up: The Human Factor in Cybersecurity

If I were CISO of a business, the way I would manage the budget is to spend 55%-60% of the budget on the technology we have to successfully run the business. I would spend it on backup systems and technology and firewall software, and different stuff to help secure the technology we have. For the training budget, I would invest 40%-45% because I think that while you have good technology and security, the people behind the desk operating the technology are as important. I would implement different scenarios for the trainees to go through, and training officers to help the people training to fully understand how to handle different situations.

Write-Up: The CIA Triad

For today’s assignment, I’m going to be explaining why the CIA Triad is a very important model for design to guide policies for information security. CIA Triad is there to make sure it guides an organization to ensure trust of data from customers and protocols to be more secure in the data they hold. This term CIA stands for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. These three stand for everything about trusting someone with their data and information, and knowing that your data is accessible to them at all times. Confidentiality is the principle of only letting people with authorized permission to view and/or modify someone’s data and/or information. This is very important in cybersecurity because you want to have an organization you can trust with your data and information. Every month, I would hear of a major company that is either a phone/home internet company or even browsing sites like Yahoo. These incidents help customers and users to identify which companies have the most problems with cyber breaches, and to eliminate and avoid any breaches on their data. I’ve had the same situation with AT&T; my mom used to be a customer of AT&T until she heard of the multiple breaches in the company that made her want to switch to Verizon. Integrity is the action of making sure the data is accurate, trustworthy, and up-to-date. This process protects the data from being changed or even deleted. Availability is making sure authorized users can have access to their data whenever they want. This is very important, especially for me and many others in areas like banks, ATMs, and mobile banking. There were certain incidents where I needed to use and view my money from my debit card, and I was denied access because of the mobile app being down, or even my mom had her debit card declined and did not work because of problems with the bank’s technical issues. This will definitely alter a customer’s decision to make them switch banks and not trust that company anymore. In conclusion, these steps and guidelines will help customers like me to trust different kinds of companies and help big organizations to help get the trust of authorized users.