Scada System Analysis
Scada System Analysis
Scada System Analysis
in
International Journal Of Engineering And Computer Science ISSN:2319-7242
Volume 3 Issue 1 Jan, 2014 Page No. 3743-3751
Abstract— This paper presents a survey on SCADA: Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition. This
discussion is centered on overview of SCADA, History of SCADA, security issues, security in SCADA,
application of SCADA, operation of SCADA .SCADA systems perform data collection and control at the
supervisory level. Some SCADA systems only monitor without performing controlling functions, but these
systems are still referred to as SCADA systems.
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infrastructure functions, such as the generation, illustrates how a modern SCADA system is
transmission and distribution of electricity, gas, connected. The field devices consist of Remote
water, waste, railway and traffic control in real Terminal Units (RTU), Programmable Logic
time. The primary function of a SCADA system is Devices (PLC), and Intelligent Electronic Devices
to efficiently connect and transfer information (IED). A number of RTUs in remote locations
from a wide range of sources, and at the same collect data from devices and send log data and
time maintaining data integrity and security. alarms to a SCADA terminal using various
SCADA systems have been around since the communication links including traditional
1960s, when the direct human involvement in telephone and computer network, wireless
monitoring and control of utility plants was network, and fiber optic cables. Data acquisition
gradually replaced by remote operation of valves begins at the RTU or PLC level and includes
and switches through the use of modern meter readings and equipment status reports that
telecommunication devices such as phones lines are communicated to SCADA as required. Some
and dedicated circuits. The emergence of powerful industrial systems use PLCs to control end devices
personal computers and servers and the need to like sensors and actuators. Data from the RTUs
connect to the Internet have added a new and PLCs is compiled and formatted in such a
dimension to the operation of SCADA systems. way that a control room operator using a Human
For example, the operator can remotely login to Machine Interface (HMI) can make supervisory
the SCADA systems without the need to be decisions to adjust or override normal RTU (or
physically present at the remote control sites. PLC) controls. This data may also be collected
Unfortunately, this has also led to an opportunity and stored in a Historian, a type of Database
for intruders and attackers to compromise the Management System, to allow auditing, and the
system by posing as a legitimate operator or by analysis of trends and anomalies.
taking control of the operator’s computer. Figure
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Fig: An illustration of a SCADA system showing how the SCADA servers are connected to both the field
devices and the corporate LAN.
SCADA systems became popular in the 1960’s as network of monitoring and control devices makes
the need to monitor and control remote equipment up your SCADA system. Using sensors (discrete
grew. Early SCADA systems used mainframe or analog) and control relays, the system can
technology and required human operators to make collect information about processes and control
action decisions and maintain the information individual pieces of equipment. The system is
systems. Because this increased the human labor governed by a SCADA master, which collects
cost, early SCADA systems were very expensive data from monitoring devices and issues controls
to maintain. Today, SCADA is generally much in response (either automatically or at the request
efficient.
Where You Can Use SCADA
APPLICATION OF SCADA While SCADA can be used to manage any kind of
equipment, SCADA systems are typically for the
The 2 Basic Components of SCADA
automation of industrial processes where humans
Any SCADA scenario involves 2 basic
are unable to manage complex or rapid operations.
components
These are often fast-paced processes dealing with
1. Things you want to monitor and control extremely delicate and tiny parts and equipment
2. Devices you will use to perform that are simply too difficult for human operators
monitoring and controlling functions to monitor with any consistent level of accuracy
Kirti, IJECS Volume 3. Issue 1 Jan, 2014 Page No.3743-3751 Page 3745
Power companies: SCADA systems can production so that demand is met exactly,
be used to maximize the efficiency of which reduces inventory costs.
power generation and distribution Providers of mass
processes. More specifically, SCADA transportation: SCADA can be used to
systems can monitor the power flow, regulate critical transportation processes,
power line voltage, circuit breaker status, like providing power for all types of public
and other electrical processes. SCADA transportation, as well as automating
systems can even be used to control related equipment, including traffic lights
individual sections of the power grid. and railroad crossing gates. SCADA
Major Utility Companies: Both systems can even be used to track the
government and private utility companies progress of individual vehicles within a
use SCADA for water and sewage transportation network, including
services. This includes collecting water individual buses on city streets, or cars on
use and distribution information, gauging a specific subway line.
supply levels, monitoring pressure
readings, and other similar applications. IV. OPERATIONS & TASK
Physical sites: SCADA systems can be OF SCADA
used to control environmental factors at an
organization’s physical sites. SCADA data SCADA System Operation:
collection functions can be used at There are four parts common to every SCADA
facilities and buildings to monitor system:
variables such as temperate, lighting, and
1. Sensors (either digital or analog) and
entry systems. The control functions of
control relays - These are input/output
SCADA systems can be used to maintain
devices that monitor and control the
specific environmental elements at these
managed processes and equipment.
sites, keeping refrigeration units online,
2. Remote telemetry units (RTU’s)- These
maintaining specific heating levels, and
are devices deployed in the field at specific
more.
sites and locations. RTU’s gather
Manufacturing companies: Production
information locally from the sensors to
managers can use SCADA to monitor their
report back to the SCADA master unit.
inventory. They can use their SCADA
RTU’s can also issue control commands to
system to regulate production machinery
the control relays it communicates with.
and implement quality control tests.
3. SCADA master units- SCADA master
SCADA can be very beneficial for just-in-
units are the main, user-end component of
time manufacturers by automating
the entire SCADA monitoring system.
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They are also sometimes referred to as the respond to data gathered from all parts of
SCADA HMI (Human-Machine the network.
Interface). The master provides the central 4. The communications network- The
processing capability for the SCADA communication network provides the
system. Master units connect the human connection between the SCADA master
operators to the system with a browser unit and the RTU’s in the field. It is the
interface that allows the system operator to all-important link between the far-flung
elements of a geo-diverse operation.
These parts enable a SCADA system to perform detailed information that can fall within a
four types of tasks: range of values, rather than a present/not
present type of situation. Analog sensors
1. Data collection- A SCADA system is
are particularly useful in measuring
composed of large numbers of sensors that
environmental factors, such as temperature
collect inputs into a system, or measure the
and humidity, battery levels, fuel levels,
output levels of a system or process. The
and more.
information collected by these sensors is
collected by the RTU’s locally, and then 2. Communication of data across the
forwarded to the SCADA master, where network- To monitor geo-diverse
reports and alarms are presented to the operational systems from a centralized
network operator. location, you need a communications
network. This network provides you with a
Sensors can be classified as two types,
means to transport all information
either discrete or analog. Discrete sensors
collected across the system. SCADA
collect information about simple events,
communications generally take place on
whereas analog sensors can provide more
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Ethernet and IP over SONET. To alleviate reports and summarizes historical trends of
security concerns when transporting data gathered by the system.
sensitive data, communication of data 4. System control functions- A SCADA
should be done over internal LAN/WANs, solution with control functions can
not the public Internet. respond to COS events anywhere in the
system by automatically issuing related,
SCADA uses protocol communication
user-specified commands. If you have an
methods, so input and output devices
advanced SCADA master, this can be done
cannot interpret or create SCADA
without any human intervention at all,
communications on their own. RTU’s
resulting in instantaneous response to
interpret information from attached
dynamic problems and threats. Advanced
sensors and transmit it to the SCADA
systems also allow overriding of automatic
master (HMI). In turn, the RTU receives
controls as the need occurs.
control commands in protocol format from
the SCADA master, and forwards these
SECURITY ISSUE IN SCADA
commands to the appropriate control
We Apply Network Traffic Monitoring
relays. This allows the SCADA master to
Techniques For SCADA System Security:
control individual operational processes
throughout the network from a single Traffic monitoring is used in configuration
location management for tasks such as estimating the
traffic demands between different points in the
3. Information reporting- A SCADA
net- work, so that network capacity can be
system presents data to operators via the
allocated to these demands. In performance
SCADA HMI (Human-Machine
management, traffic monitoring can be used to
Interface). Along with presenting this data,
determine whether the measured traffic levels
the SCADA master station also performs
exceed the allocated network capacity, thus
many other tasks for network operators.
causing congestion or delays. When a fault occurs
The master continuously monitors all
in the network, traffic monitoring is used in fault
sensors and alerts the operator when there
management to help locate the source of the fault,
is a Change-of-State (COS) event within
based on changes in the traffic levels through the
the managed system. The master presents a
surrounding network elements. In accounting
comprehensive view of the entire network
management, traffic monitoring is needed to
of devices, and presents more specific
measure the network usage by each customer, so
information about the managed equipment
that costs can be charged accordingly in terms of
and processes when the system operator
the volume and type of traffic generated. Finally,
requests it. The master also presents
network traffic monitoring can be used in security
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management to identify unusual traffic flows, targeting the SCADA system, which had been
which may be caused by a denial-of-service attack previously isolated from the corporate information
or other forms of misuse. technology and communications infrastructure.
Since most SCADA protocols were not designed
Today many of the SCADA systems are also
with security issues in mind, therefore, an attack
connected to the corporate network where a
on the TCP/IP carrier could expose the
manager or an engineer can view and change
unprotected SCADA data. In addition, traditional
control settings. The data is transferred through a
attacks from the Internet could be transported
communication server that is protected by a
through the interconnected corporate network into
firewall from the corporate network which is often
the SCADA network and disrupt the industrial
connected to the wider Internet. The SCADA data
processes
is increasingly being transported using the TCP/IP
protocol for increased efficiency, enhance PROTECTING SCADA SYSTEMS :
interconnectivity, and because of the ease of using By Using Network Traffic Monitoring As shown
commercial-off the shelf hardware and software. in Fig., SCADA system is different from normal
Protocols such as Mod bus and DNP3 that had TCP/IP network. In addition to the normal TCP/IP
been traditionally used for interconnection within network, a SCADA system has its own industrial
SCADA network are increasingly being process which is normally involving industrial
transported over TCP/IP as the field devices are specific networking protocols. No literature report
also providing IP support. This leads to a has been found on how to use network traffic c
standardized and transparent communication monitoring management for the protection of the
model both within and outside the SCADA SCADA systems. In this chapter, an architecture
network. As TCP/IP is becoming the predominant of network traffic monitoring management is
carrier protocol in modern SCADA networks, it suggested as shown in Fig. for the protection of
introduces the potential for innovative attacks the SCADA systems.
Kirti, IJECS Volume 3. Issue 1 Jan, 2014 Page No.3743-3751 Page 3749
SCADA
Moniter C network
Moniter C
Moniter B
Computer
network
Moniter A
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Addressing SCADA Control System Internet accessibility at industrial work places
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