Process control systems security analysis utilizing reverse engineering

This paper investigates the processes and tools necessary to reverse engineer proprietary file formats. As a proof of concept, common control software, known as Supervisory, Control, and Data Acquisition, or SCADA, will be investigated. This software, which controls and monitors nation-wide Critical Infrastructure, is among the most important software to protect. Unfortunately, as we will discover, control software is quite vulnerable to attack. Particular attention is paid to the security configuration and alarm mechanisms. In this paper, several new vulnerabilities are identified and explored in both the security configuration and alarm system of one particular system, known as Wonderware. Finally, methodologies utilizing digital forensics will be discussed in order to protect against the identified vulnerabilities --Abstract, page iii