(Originally written on November 2nd, 2024)
Introduction to SCACA Systems:
SCADA, which stands for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, refers to the systems used to control critical infrastructure processes. These systems allow control and the overall gathering of data from the industrial equipment to be done remotely rather than on site. SCADA constantly monitors the data being received from the equipment and if certain conditions considered to be abnormal are met, it can alert the appropriate human operators. They are complex and can be physically quite large, as these systems are comprised of both hardware and software. Communication within these systems is facilitated through a combination of protocols including IEC, DNP, and TCP/IP (some being comprised of legacy systems). While these systems have hardware that is physically secure and software that is not directly connected to the internet, they are not an exception to a cyber-attack.
Vulnerabilities Surrounding Critical Infrastructure Systems:
CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) is a national coordinator for cybersecurity pertaining to the matter of critical infrastructure. They state that “any threat to these sectors could have potentially debilitating national security, economic, and public health or safety consequences.” Understandably, with the sheer physical size and complexity of these systems, any system failure or hardware faults have the consequence of being costly as well.
Perhaps the largest threat to any critical infrastructure in terms of cyber security would be unauthorized access. These systems control major portions of different infrastructures that keep our country running smoothly, like water and electricity for example. Any unauthorized access to these systems could have drastic and potentially threatening consequences. Any alteration or destruction of these systems could greatly affect a portion, or all, of the country, making unauthorized access a tempting target for those wishing to cause harm.
SCADA’s Role in Addressing These Vulnerabilities:
SCADA plays a major role in the monitoring of industrial equipment and the data being received from them. SCADA systems have the ability to determine if a data value or system parameter is out of the expected values, allowing quick detection of any change in the function of these systems. This further leads to making human operators aware of the change, allow the determination to be made as to the cause of the change, should it be malfunction or a cyber-attack. Some responses to these alerts can also be set to be completely automated, allowing for a quicker response to an attack.
Newer systems, along with older ones being upgraded, include better security measures such as firewalls and specialized VPNs. These upgraded measures counteract the potential for unauthorized access, a main vulnerability to this industry.
Conclusion:
SCADA systems are used to monitor and assess the condition of equipment and data within the critical infrastructure industry. Within this industry lie vulnerabilities, particularly the potential for unauthorized access, which could be detrimental to our society as a whole. However, SCADA addresses this concern with quick, sometimes automated detection and which the implementation of stronger security measures for both hardware and software. The improvement of both these SCADA systems cybersecurity as a whole opens up the potential to further strengthen against potential future vulnerabilities.
References:
- Critical Infrastructure Security and resilience. Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience | Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency CISA. (n.d.). https://www.cisa.gov/topics/critical-infrastructure-security-and-resilience
- SCADA systems. SCADA Systems. (n.d.). https://www.scadasystems.net/
- Learn all about SCADA systems: What is SCADA?: Scadapedia. SCADA International. (2024, October 23). https://scada-international.com/what-is-scada/#:~:text=What%20does%20SCADA%20stand%20for,data%20from%20the%20industrial%20equipment.