Tag: cybersecurity in instrumentation

These fortifications focus on human behavior rather than system design or component selection. In some ways these are the simplest to implement, as they generally require little in the way of technical expertise. This is not to suggest, however, that policy-based fortifications are therefore the easiest to implement. On the contrary, changing human behavior is usually a…

A design-based fortification is one rooted in technical details of system architecture and functionality. Some of these are quite simple (e.g. air gaps) while others are quite complex (e.g. encryption). In either case, these fortifications are ideally implemented at the inception of a new system, and at every point of system alteration or expansion. 33.4.1 Advanced authentication The…

Cyber-security seems to have its own vocabulary, ranging from unwieldy technical acronyms to slang terms borrowed from amateur computer enthusiasts. What follows is a partial listing of some common terms and their definitions. This list is not only useful as a definitional reference when encountering such terms in cyber-security literature, but it also serves to…

There are multiple motives for compromising the security of an industrial control system, some of which overlap motives for attacking IT systems, and some of which are unique to the industrial world. This section details some of the reasons why people might wish to attack an industrial control system. 33.2.1 Technical challenge Computer experts tend to…

As digital technology finds greater application in industrial measurement and control systems, these systems become subject to digital vulnerabilities. Cyber-security, which used to be strictly limited to information technology (IT) systems such as those used in office and research environments (e.g. desktop computers, printers, internet routers), is now a pressing concern for industrial measurement and…