SCADA Systems a Target for Hackers?

superstick58 writes "As a system integrator, I am often providing control solutions that utilize sophisticated Ethernet networks and as they say in the biz 'link top floor to shop floor.' Forbes has an article about the security issues that exist in SCADA systems. When I look back at some of the systems I have put in which include direct I/O control over ethernet and distributed HMI monitoring, if I can get access from the internet, it would be easy to bring down power for a plant or at the very least make operators in the building very uncomfortable. How vulnerable are the manufacturing centers of the world?"

Hacking SCADA makes sense

[EmbeddedJanitor]

Being able to blow up physical devices is a lot more spectacular than playing with numbers in bank accounts which can be resotred from backups.

Re:My view..

[QuantumG]

Cool. How do you get data from the SCADA system to the back office? Say, to import into Excel and do some performance analysis or something?

Removable media and sneaker net?

I bet I could make a virus that could hop that.

Amazing

[dbcad7]

A "system integrator" working on his "sophisticated systems".. I was truly impressed until the lame a$$ question.

I'll answer though ... Just hide away until after Armageddon is over, I'll find you.. don't worry... really, just wait til I say it's safe to come out.

Re:My view..

[Short Circuit]

1. Start->Connections
   
2. Right-click "Local Area Connection"
3. Click "Bridge connections" ...

Of course, you'd have to be any of clueless, foolish, or malicious to do that...

How about Martrix?

[jsse]

I once counted the redundancy levels in a transformer protection system. There were 63 (yes, sixty three) different levels of protection for a humble transformer costing a mere $5 million. Imagine the protection around a $5 billion power plant.

I saw Tiffany drove a bike into the security station, blew up everything in her path then bought down the entire power-grid by with a single ssh nuke. She did it all in less than 5 minutes.

63 levels of protection doesn't give me more assurance sorry.

But since your mentioned the plant hires Transformers for protection or something, I do believe these alien robots could stand some chance.

Re:My view..

[klenwell]

That said, a disenfranchised employee with login credentials would be a possible risk.

Just be sure to confiscate their eyeballs before they leave the company.

Script Kiddies + SCADA...

[CompMD]

im in ur power plant retractin ur control rods