The vulnerabilities of industrial control systems and possible Essay

The vulnerabilities of industrial control systems and possible solutions - Essay ExampleIndustrial control systems (ICS) are peremptory to the quality of life that most of society shares and depends on every day. These systems regulate the electricity, food supply, medical and chemical manufacturing, as well as many former(a) processes and utilities that are used daily.After September 11, 2001, the threat of terrorist attacks became a high priority on the home front (Marsh 2006). Most people worried about airplanes, subway or subway systems, or bombs, but a few realized that with the computerization of control systems in a variety of industries becoming normal direct procedures, the risk of attack was just as possible as any other probable target. In fact, some of the systems, such as nuclear plants or chemical manufacturing companies, were more apt to be targeted than others. This concern led to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to lead a 500 member forum to dispute cyber-security of the ICS regulating our lives and our country.At the conclusion of this 2004 forum, NIST produced the System Protection Profile-Industrial Control Systems (SPP-ICS) to use as guidelines and strategies to find the vulnerabilities in each facility and possible solutions. Some of the main concerns include terrorists and unfriendly governments, human error, disgruntled employees, bored teenagers, and natural disasters to name a few. However, most facilities looked only on the outside, without considering errors on the inside that could do as lots damage as those external forces. (Barr, 2004 DAmico, 2004 Marsh, 2006 NIST, 2004 NISTs process control, 2004 Wagman, 2008).NISTS findings were based on the System Target of Evaluation and all risks and vulnerabilities are determined by this standard. The corporate leadership should look at and consider the vulnerabilities and their solutions to help identify the areas that are in need of immediate attention in the ir own facilities and to make the cyber-connection of the location secure. alas some do not believe there is a real threat. For example, Tom Donahue from the CIA stated that attacks on critical infrastructure lack the necessary striking display that seems to be preferred by this constituency (Marsh, 2006, p. 12). This concept may have been true five years ago, but as the world becomes more affiliated the disruption of electricity, water, or gas would be a fairly dramatic event for those experiencing it, and for those watching it. Previously most facilities were separated by using their in private owned machines, hardware and methods of communication. However, with the onset of more facilities and corporations using commercial, off-the-shelf products the vulnerability increases (DAmico, 2004). The SPP-ICS provides three main areas to watch the type of agent, method of attack, and the asset that will be affected by the attack. The agent is the insider or outsider that either malici ously or accidently causes an attack on the ICS. The vulnerabilities of attack can include, but are not limited to, protocols, unnecessary systems attached to the ICS, outside remote access to the ICS, incorrect IT architecture, lack of security controls, and lack of risk assessment upon or prior to inductance of the system. The assets consist of all the systems used to control the system software and hardware and the infrastructure of the guild (Barr, 2004 NIST, 2004)When working to correct or strengthen the security of these systems, the company should look at physical items, the connectivity and if it is secure, authentication, backup and remote access as well as many other attributes of security. Understanding the