Industrial Cyber Security: Keeping The Control Systems Secure

Humans are limited and can make mistakes. To reduce the damages and harms caused by human error, industrial cyber security and control systems need to collaborate. Keep reading to learn more.

Unfortunately, humans make mistakes. There are many causes of this fact.

Whether it’s our limitations (memory) or our short attention span.

Regardless of our experience, we all make errors, and it is alright. Mostly, human error leads to serious outcomes and causes harm.

To avoid such situations, executing industrial control systems is essential.

In this article, we will discuss industrial control systems and why do you need industrial cyber security. Keep scrolling to learn more!

Industrial Control Sytems

Industrial control system (ICS) is an umbrella term that refers to the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems and programmable logic controllers (PLC). Also, with distributed control systems ( DCS), and such.

The purpose is to streamline multiple business practices related to industrial production. Moreover, they help reduce the human error rate.

Furthermore, you can find them in thermal plants, heavy industries, and nuclear plants. Also, in distribution systems, water treatment facilities, and power generation.

More Benefits

Aside from alleviating stress from human error, they have more benefits in store.

For example, ICS’s goal is to offer control distribution. Then, automation processes, and process monitoring.

Distributed Controls

As a result, control distribution makes it possible to lessen weak spots and risk factors. These are all associated with industrial production.

Also, efficiency is highly affected positively.

Process Automation

It allows employees to work quicker and gets the job done on time. Also, you can finish more jobs with greater efficiency.

Moreover, it can result in better quality materials and can lower production costs .

Process Monitoring

Finally, process monitoring is essential to make sure that everything goes evenly. Also, it allows the supervisors to manage the production processes. Then, he/she can make corrections when needed.

The Need For Cybersecurity

Industrial control systems are somewhat pioneers of mechanical production. Throughout history, ICS is designed to operate in an isolated area or a highly controlled area.

The history of ICS goes very back, well before the Internet of Things and similar technological developments.

Originally, industry control systems were only attached to the other systems within the same factory or plant.

For this reason, they created specialized control mechanisms and communication protocols. Yet, such mechanisms and protocols are not applicable in this day of age.

Moreover, it won’t meet the requirements of the business environments of today. Also, they don’t collaborate well with modern technologies. Especially technologies like big data analytics and the Internet of Things (IoT).

As a response, they need to update their industrial control systems to meet the modern needs of a business. That is where real-time data and enterprise networks came into the conversation.

Well, real-time data and enterprise networks can do wonders for an industrial plant or a factory. But, it can also bring new vulnerabilities.

So, having industrial cyber security is an essential tool.

Thus, it protects plants and factories from external disruption, data breaches, and serious catastrophes.

Rate this post:

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *