SCADA Cybersecurity in Factories of the Future

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The integrity and security of ICS and SCADA systems are absolutely central to their function and reliable availability. Despite this, appropriate security-related technologies and methodologies are limited and still very much in their early development.This project proposes the development of a baseline metric model for the classification of the overall vulnerability level of ICS and SCADA components and devices, used across the supply chain. A supply chain here refers to the variety of devices that could potentially be used to manufacture a product, or execute a process. A metric model of this type will help industries identify how vulnerable a specific component is, such as a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) or a Remote Terminal Unit (RTU), within a wider risk assessment. The application of baseline metric systems to the evaluation of the security of computer systems and networks is not in itself a new approach. One example has been produced by the Communications-Electronics Security Group (CESG), and provides security guidance for cloud computing environments [1]. It consists of a set of security principles forming baseline guidance for public sector organizations who handle sensitive data via cloud services. Another notable example is the ISA 62443 Standard [2]. This standard draws on conformance metrics to establish a baseline model for quantifying compliance to Industrial Automation and Control System (IACS) security practices. Another group have explored the quantitative assessment of vulnerabilities within SCADA systems, primarily elaborating on the cost/benefit calculations for risk management, thereby allowing managers to make more informed security decisions [3]. Furthermore, other studies have developed a quantitative model that could be used to aggregate vulnerability metrics, specifically for enterprise IT and networks [4]. The research proposed here will further develop and extend the baseline metric methodology as applied to security, with a particular focus on the vulnerability analysis of critical infrastructure components. This research will result in the development of usable models and methods that will aide the process of risk assessment and management of ICS/SCADA components and systems. Proposed are four key phases to the project, resulting in multiple deliverables throughout the period of the research, and these are defined below. There is one primary overall hypothesis for the project, and four separate secondary hypotheses, one for each phase, as illustrated below under each phase heading. - Primary Hypothesis: The formation of a metric system will (i) aid the process of security management in ICS environments, (ii) help individuals to make decisions regarding risk management, and (iii) contribute to the development and implementation of more informedand cost-effective decision making for security safeguards.