SCADA, or supervisory control and data acquisition, systems are networks of software and hardware for the purpose of remotely controlling and monitoring industrial processes (“What is SCADA,” 2018). According to Fabio Terezinho (n.d.), some benefits SCADA provides to critical infrastructure include the elimination of human error in data collection, increased reliability through automation, swift detection of problems through system monitoring and alarms, and the ability to extrapolate trends to improve efficiency and detect future problems.

            SCADA systems also introduce cyber vulnerabilities, however. Some of the more common issues related to SCADA systems include insecure legacy software, insufficiently protected networks, failure to change default passwords and factory settings, and lack of encryption, to name a few (Paganini, 2020). Some proposed ways to mitigate these issues include network segmentation, account and authorization monitoring, and disabling default accounts.

References

Paganini, P. (2020, July 15). SCADA & Security of critical infrastructures. Infosec Resources. Retrieved March 27, 2022, from https://resources.infosecinstitute.com/topic/scada-security-of-critical-infrastructures/

Terezinho, F. (n.d.). SCADA systems automate electrical distribution. InduSoft. Retrieved March 27, 2022, from https://www.controlglobal.com/assets/13WPpdf/130822-indusoft-SCADA-Electrical-Distribution.pdf

What is SCADA? Inductive Automation. (2018, September 12). Retrieved March 27, 2022, from https://inductiveautomation.com/resources/article/what-is-scada