Critical Infrastructure Risks and Vulnerabilities Summary

Critical Infrastructure Risks and Vulnerabilities Summary Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) The concept SCADA refers to a system of software and hardware, networked data communications, and graphical user interfaces that are used to carry out high-level process supervisory controls and management of the country's major infrastructures such as electricity, gas supply, transport sector, and industrial production (Theron & Bologna, 2013). SCADA system collects, monitor, process, and make use of real-time data for management.

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How an Attack On SCADA Systems Can Pose Risks To Infrastructure Assets The SCADA software plays a critical role in the operation of the national infrastructure, which makes it disastrous for the state if it gets attacked. The country would suffer severe challenges about the functioning of the railway and air transport, electricity and water lines, and gas transport. This could be as a result of the loss of vital data during an attack. Krutz (2015) observed that this could lead to the loss of lives due to accidents and loss of power in various facilities. SCADA systems are vital to the operation of the country's major infrastructures, which means that an attack to the system of its faultiness can lead to serious disruptions on the dependent infrastructural system, hence a major risk.

Ways to Identify Vulnerabilities in SCADA Systems Vulnerabilities in SCADA systems can be identified through various ways, one of them being regular assessment of the system. During this exercise, an external machine that is not part of the SCADA is used to try and see if external attacks can be successfully launched to penetrate the SCADA networks. The assessment is often done uninterrupted to ensure that it is thorough (Theron & Bologna, 2013). The assessment also helps to identify partners with a bad reputation, cyber-security risks within the country that can affect the system, and the loopholes within SCADA that attackers can explore.

Moreover, testing of the configuration can be done to check if the SCADA system has some faults. In case there are some problems, they can be fixed in time to remove the vulnerabilities of the system to attacks or failure. Proper configuration is important in reducing the vulnerability of the system to attacks and failure (Krutz, 2015). Fuzz testing on the SCADA system can help to check its and discover if there is coding errors as well as security loopholes in the operating system, software, and networks.

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The vulnerability of SCADA system can also be caused by those manning, especially if they have ill motives or decide to mess up with its operations as a protest over something. Wrong physical adjustment to the sensors can lead to a poor reading of information, hence affecting the ability of SCADA to properly function. In this respect, assessment of the personnel who run the SCADA can help to identify if there is anyone who can pose a threat to the normal functioning of the system and the problem solved in time.

How SCADA Systems Might Face Threats From Outside the United States SCADA can be attacked by terrorism through hacking, the threat of cyber-terrorism is real, hence a possible external threat to SCADA. The hackers can release malicious programs to harm the software use and also to access and manipulate the information In SCADA's computers systems (Krutz, 2015). This can be done by terrorists or foreign government agents that have an interest in harming the United States.

Moreover, terror attacks such as the detonation of a bomb or ramming a plane as was the case of the September 11th terror attack could happen to SCADA. Terrorist hit where it hurts most hence can target SCADA to attain maximum disruption. The physical destruction can be detrimental if it affects the critical infrastructure of the SCADA such as management and control computers.

The Tools And Techniques Used to Protect Against a Global Attack on SCADA The protection of SCADA from a global attack uses tools and techniques that among many others include a proper configuration to avoid hacking into the system. The control and management computers are also used to monitor the activities of the SCADA, which enables the operators to timely detect and neutralize any form of external attack (Krutz, 2015).

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SCADA firewall is another tool that is used to protect SCADA from attacks such as hacking. This ensures that external attackers that may take the form of hacking are prevented.

Firewalls prevent and block malicious access to the system by foreign computer systems and software (Laing, Badii, & Vickers, 2013). Hackers are detected and kept at bay, leading to a more secured SCADA system.

How Resilience Should Be Incorporated into SCADA Systems Resilience should be incorporated into the SCADA system through full migration to modern and highly standardized technology across the body. This will help to reduce vulnerabilities due to the sophistication of the system. By moving from the isolated to highlyinterconnected and large scale architectures of SCADA, the system will be more secure and effective than before (Laing, Badii, &Vickers, 2013). Standard software and Internet technologies will reduce vulnerability to among many others cyber-attacks. The SCADA system ought to be placed in places that are physical protection to reduce risks of attacks and disruption of services. In this respect, there is a need to enhance the security of the physical installation such as computers and other hardware that form part of SCADA.

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References Krutz, R. L. (2015). Securing SCADA systems. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Laing, C., Badii, A., & Vickers, P. (2013). Securing critical infrastructures and critical control systems: Approaches for threat protection. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference IGI. Theron, P., & Bologna, S. (2013). Critical information infrastructure protection and resilience in the ICT sector. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference.