In today’s society, we depend on technology for numerous things such as smart energy applications, smart agricultural and food supply applications, farmbots, water and wastewater processing, and transportations systems. How do we protect all of these smart applications? We have a system called SCADA, also known as supervisory control and data acquisition.  This system protects all of the sensors, actuators, PLC’s (programmable logic controller), RTU’s (remote terminal units), telecommunications, and SCADA clients and servers. 

Elements

SCADA consists of 5 elements. These 5 elements information flow starts with the remote plant and ends at the headquarters. Sensors and actuators are the first element. If we break them up, the sensors deal with light, humidity, wind speed, sand, distance, pressure, differential pressure, water levels, depth, and flow meters. Actuators are responsible for moving and controlling the mechanism or system. The actuators have two types; the actuators and the alarms. The actuators are valves, pumps, and motors. The alarms are good or critical failures.  PLCs ( programmable logic controller), is the second element, which is a digital computer.  This computer helps control assembly lines, robotic devices, and activity that requires high reliability controls. The inputs are based on the actions taken. RTUs (remote terminal units), which is the third element. They are electronic devices with intelligent microprocessors. The RTUs handle the data logging and alarms. They also have the ability to control IEDs (intelligent electronic devices). Telecommunications is the fourth element. This element consists of communication systems which involve cellular networks, radio modems, leased lines, internet, private networks, and wireless communication systems. Finally, we have the SCADA clients and servers, also known as the front end processor.  This final element gathers all the communication information and converts it to a SCADA friendly communication. The type of information it gathers are data logging, analyzing data, real time decision making, and asking the RTU for information.  It also gathers information between several RTU channels and the host master computer station.

Humans Involvement

We understand that robots and electronic devices work on their own. What if they have a malfunction? That is when HMI also known as the human machine interface gets involved. There was a human that created the electronic devices or the robots. When this was created, a blueprint or diagram was created. The diagram is used to change points in the interface. It helps them identify exactly where the issue is happening.  If one system goes down, they have a backup system that will allow the system to continue working while the issue is being fixed. 

Threats 

Attackers have different methods of threatening a company. Some of the major threats are having unauthorized access to the software and packet access to network segments that host SCADA devices.  Ransomware is something all companies need to be aware of. This is when the attacker uses malware that prevents companies from accessing any computer files.  There are two types of ransomware which are targeted and zero day. Targeted ransomware is when the attackers attack the backup data. They find the most valuable data, encrypt it, and exploit it. They go for larger companies because they are willing to pay larger ransom. Zero day ransomware is the worst. This is when the attacker attacks the company before the company even knows. They will exploit all of the company’s vulnerabilities. When this happens, the company is unable to fight back and the company will be in danger. Zero day ransomware is the one that cybersecurity has a hard time fighting with to this day. Once the information is put out there, they have no way of tracing who did it or where it came from. 

Vulnerabilities

To ensure that the SCADA system stays strong, we need to ensure that certain actions are being taken. Some of the actions that need to be taken are ensuring that the systems are up to date. If the organization is working with outdated hardware and software, they are easier to hack into. Single ports are an issue. A single port can be a good thing because it is easy to manage and trace traffic. On the other hand, it is a bad thing because it makes it easier to hack. The attackers can scan and discover the port and devices. The best method to ensure that everyone and the company is safe is to limit authentication methods. There are numerous ways to create authentication methods. These types of authentication methods are simple static passwords, two factor authentication, digital certifications, and biometrics. Making sure that you have a strong password is extremely important. 

Conclusion

The SCADA role is extremely important. Not just to the company, but to the individuals that assist with keeping all of the software, hardware, and equipment up to date. If something was to happen to any of the engineered technology, someone could get injured or killed. Making sure that every network has a strong and secure platform that will keep attackers out will keep everyone safe. 

References

  1. https://canvas.odu.edu/courses/132469/pages/200t-mod-05-engineering-critical-infrastructure-and-cybersecurity?module_item_id=4102077
  2. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DvxnWUSLe27H5u8A6yyIS9Qz7BVt_8p2WeNHctGVboY/edit 
  3. https://heimdalsecurity.com/blog/what-is-targeted-ransomware/
  4. https://www.checkpoint.com/cyber-hub/threat-prevention/what-is-zero-day-attack/what-is-zero-day-malware/#:~:text=Zero%20day%20 malware%20 is%20 malware,significant%20threat%20to%20enterprise%20cybersecurity.