Securing supervisory control and data acquisition control systems

National physical infrastructures are operated by industrial control systems (ICSs) that heavily rely on information and communication technology (ICT). Specifically, industrial control systems of many sectors are built around the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) architecture, consisted of communication network connecting servers, clients and embedded computer devices for automation, and operators to monitor and control the physical equipment. The significance of SCADA systems in operating critical infrastructures has made them prime targets of cyberattacks to inflict major disruptions on the society. SCADA systems usually contain three segments of ICT—field devices, the SCADA/control network, and the corporate network. The weak security foundation has resulted in SCADA systems being the prime targets for cyberattackers to inflict damages on physical infrastructures without any use of force. The chapter identifies the human–computer interaction issues by examining the seven phases of the cyberkill chain, the process by which adversaries stage their attacks