Name: Noel Mcfee cyse200
Title: SCADA Systems and Critical Infrastructure Security
BLUF: This report examines vulnerabilities associated with SCADA systems in
critical infrastructure and outlines the role of SCADA applications in mitigating
cybersecurity risks through monitoring, automation, and security enhancements.
SCADA systems control many extensive applications in energy, water, and
transportation, for example, such critical infrastructure (STEMS.net 2024). Many
SCADA systems are networked, yet such networking can create vulnerabilities where
these systems become targeted by adversarial attacks that disrupt operations severely.
There are several SCADA systems under development; hence, for the security of the
systems and the protection of national security, accounting for the possibility of cyber-
attacks becomes crucial.
SCADA System Vulnerabilities
SCADA systems are vulnerable to modern cyber threats because they were not initially
built with cybersecurity in mind (STEMS.net 2024). SCADA systems, for example,
operate on legacy networks that do not have encryption over long periods (Industrial
Cyber, 2024).Many SCADA systems still operate without any protective cover.
Furthermore, remote control access has increased over the years, further exposing
what could be accessed by unauthorized personnel (STEMS.net, 2024). Additionally,
SCADA systems are vulnerable because of network segmentation weaknesses
(Industrial Cyber, 2024). For instance, if a SCADA system is improperly segmented, an
intruder can gain access to one area of the network and move laterally and affect
adjacent operations One specific example is the 2015 cyber attack on the Ukraine
power grid, where attackers exploited the SCADA system by breaching it and
successfully shutting down the power for thousands (Zetter, 2016). In addition, SCADA
systems are vulnerable to different cybersecurity exploits than distributed control
systems (DCS). SCADA systems are more likely to be hacked due to the widespread
transportation and energy vulnerabilities that will attract more cyber criminals (Industrial
Cyber, 2024). With DCS, the vulnerabilities are more about abusing the control features
inside one specific commercial or manufacturing enterprise (Industrial Cyber, 2024).
What’s coming for SCADA in the future involves cybersecurity support integration such
as with firewalls and IDS for more unauthorized entry detection (STEMS.net, 2024). In
addition, more recent SCADA technologies incorporate encryption, role-based access
control, and even anomaly detection algorithms to secure critical infrastructure.
Furthermore, organizational standards going forward relative to SCADA include proper
system patches, cybersecurity awareness and training, and better network
segmentation (Industrial Cyber, 2024). These things exist to reduce susceptibility.
SCADA without them will always be susceptible to a cyber attack.