课程: ISC2 Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) (2024) Cert Prep

Industrial control systems and operational technology

课程: ISC2 Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) (2024) Cert Prep

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Industrial control systems and operational technology

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- [Instructor] Many of today's industrial processes depend upon computer systems to make them work more efficiently and effectively. The many advances in technology that have sped up manufacturing, power plant monitoring, wastewater treatment, and other industrial processes require the use of computers. Industrial control systems or ICS systems are the devices and systems that control industrial production and operation. They include systems that monitor electrical, gas, water, and other energy infrastructure and production operations, as well as the systems that control manufacturing plants, industrial facilities, logistics operations, and other critical infrastructure. You'll find ICS systems in a wide variety of modern applications, including use as building automation systems, workflow automation systems, and process automation systems. Hackers love to target industrial control systems for a number of reasons. First, a successful attack on an ICS system can have dramatic implications. Successful ICS attacks could disable a nation's power grid or damage or destroy parts of a city's infrastructure. Second, ICS systems are often not as well secured as traditional computing infrastructure. And third, their high requirements for stability and continuous operation mean that they are less likely to be consistently patched and updated. In fact, some ICS system manufacturers advise their customers to not update the control systems and sensor devices. This makes protecting SCADA and DCS systems an even greater challenge requiring additional planning to overcome. So let's discuss three different types of industrial control systems. Supervisory control and data acquisition or SCADA systems, distributed control systems, DCS, and programmable logic controllers known more simply as PLCs. SCADA systems are very common in industries that require remote monitoring of their infrastructure and production systems like natural gas pipelines, power production and distribution infrastructure, and water supply control systems. SCADA systems typically include individual remote sensors known as remote telemetry units, which provide reports back to a central data collection system and provide some level of local control. The central system then uses the information provided by the remote units to control the entire grid or pipeline of production and control systems. Attacks against SCADA systems can target the feedback provided to the central control system or can cause the local sensor and control unit to perform an incorrect action. Distributed control systems are frequently used to control water and wastewater treatment and distribution systems, power generation plants, refineries, and production lines and facilities like those that make cars, electronics, and even food products throughout the world. DCS systems use a combination of sensors and feedback systems to control and adjust processes as they receive feedback. Much like SCADA systems, an attack against a DCS system could be as simple as providing incorrect feedback resulting in a shutdown, overproduction, or delay in the system at a critical time. Programmable logic controllers such as the one shown here, are special purpose computers designed to handle specialized input and output systems. They're typically designed to handle difficult environments with special temperature, vibration, or other requirements while still functioning. PLCs are designed to handle and respond to their specialized input and output requirements reliably to ensure that the processes they support occur without interruption or delay. PLCs connect to a human machine interface or HMI to provide interfaces that can interact with human operators. Typical PLCs don't have a monitor or other interface beyond buttons or lights built into them. PLCs are commonly used in both SCADA and DCS systems. The result of a SCADA system attack can be devastating. An attacker irritated because he was refused a job on an Australian municipality used his knowledge about their water treatment software and systems to release millions of liters of raw sewage into local parks, rivers, and the grounds of a local hotel. The Australian EPA said that marine life died, the creek water turned black, and the stench was unbearable for residents. This attacker used inside knowledge because he had previously worked for the company that installed the system. When the police arrested him, they discovered that he had made 46 attempts to hack into the system and that his car contained the radio and computer equipment necessary to wage this attack. Let's wrap up this discussion with the discussion of terminology. Operational technology or OT is a general term used to describe the hardware and software used to control and monitor physical devices and processes in various industries. Operational technology is crucial for the seamless operation of systems in sectors such as manufacturing, power generation, and water treatment. OT is the broader umbrella under which industrial control systems and SCADA systems operate. ICS are specific types of OT that manage industrial processes. And ICS include systems like SCADA, DCS, and PLCs.

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