Cyber Espionage Malware and Defensive Measures for Industrial SCADA security

Abstract: Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems are deeply implanted and used in the areas of critical infrastructure sectors and related environments. These computerized real-time process control systems, over geographically dispersed continuous distribution operations, are increasingly subject to serious damage and disruption by cyber means due to their standardization and connectivity to other networks. SCADA systems generally have little protection from the escalating cyber threats. In order to understand the potential danger and to protect SCADA systems, in this paper, we present a unique possible threat in the form of a malware and its countermeasures implemented on flow control system monitored by SCADA in the laboratory. We have attempted to demonstrate the vulnerability of SCADA systems to such threats and have focused more on the defensive measures and methods that are need of the day to prevent such attacks in process automation and control sectors.

Keywords: SCADA security, Instrumentation & control systems (ICS), Cyber espionage, malware, HMI (Human Machine Interface), Defensive methodologies, Intrusion Detection and Prevention System (IDPS)