Editor’s Note: The original “Hacking the Industrial Network” (Part I) was first published by IndustryWeek in the Spring of 2009. This article, Part II, is the summary of what has happened since the original publication, and the outcome of predictions which first appeared in Part I.
SCADA Security Outlook
State-sponsored theft of proprietary trade secrets, intellectual property, business, economic, government and military secrets, and all the advantages of a technological society are already being siphoned away at an alarming rate, with the losses measured in billions of dollars as we hemorrhage away the advanced products of our intellect. Hacking is the current province of criminal organizations, nation states, foreign competitors, and cyber terrorists.
There is no reason for this lack of implementation of industrial network security other than inertia. The security technology already exists, and simple, economical solutions are readily available. The risks are clear, and the activity is escalating. We can either act now to prepare for the next wave, or delay and procrastinate, and be perpetually behind the curve when the next bad thing occurs…and those other procrastinators are “overtaken by events” for which there is no time to respond.
A detailed study of specific recommendations and technical solutions is contained in the full white paper “Hacking the Industrial Network”(Part I) and the full version of this white paper (Part II). Complete copies, including footnotes, clickable Internet links and detailed research references can be downloaded from the International Society of Automation(www.ISA.org) and from www.innominate.com.
Frank Dickman, BSMAE, RCDD, is a widely experienced engineering consultant and former delegate to NEMA, TIA/EIA, ISO, CENELEC and the BICSI Codes & Standards Committees. He is a technical consultant to a number of leading data communications firms and is a recognized expert on U.S. and International physical infrastructure network standards. Beyond telecommunications, his experience includes consulting engineering work for petroleum refineries, chemical plants, conventional and nuclear power plants, auto manufacturers and the aerospace industry. He can be reached at frankdickman@yahoo.com.
