Scada Vulnerabilities and Electric Power Industry

SCADA Vulnerabilities and Electric Power Industry

Abstract

Electricity is an essential element of life in the United States. It is crucial to manufacturing, business companies, residences, and certain methods of shipping. A deficiency in electricity can not only cause trouble, but also financial loss due to reduced business and manufacturing production. This paper will look at the basic concepts of SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems, their vulnerabilities in regards to cyber attacks, and the efforts to increase security. It will also seek to provide some of the project management phases of SCADA for real-time implementation, while identifying advantages and disadvantages of SCADA in concert with Power Distribution.

SCADA Vulnerabilities and Electric Power Industry

Introduction

Electric Program Managers (Plant Mangers) today are undertaking many problems and tasks which are common to the job, such as maintenance, restoration, mitigation projects and planning for the current and future demands. SCADA has its advantages; it has been a big instrument in power distribution, and excellent contributor in giving more visibility to Plant Mangers, also making their occupation to some extent trouble-free and more efficient. However, the digital age leaves many different utilities companies and platforms open for attacks. Systems are put into place to curtail such catastrophes: one such system is called SCADA or Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition. SCADA is used to monitor systems, prevent system malfunctions, and in general keep the infrastructure of power plants, water and sewer plants, and treatment centers from ever having to be compromised to do the aforementioned issues.

Current SCADA Applications

SCADA systems are used by governments to monitor their power/electric, water, and treatment plants across the country. These facilities are vulnerable to “weather conditions, equipment failure, accidents” (Lakhoua & Jbira, 2012,...