Abstract
Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems have
evolved over from standalone, compartmentalized operations into
networked architectures that communicate across large distances. In
addition, their implementations have migrated from custom hardware and
software to standard hardware and software platforms. These changes
have led to reduced development and operational as well as providing
executive management with real-time information that can be used to
support planning, supervision, and decision making. For reasons of
efficiency, maintenance, data acquisition and control platforms have
migrated from isolated in-plant networks security using proprietary
hardware and software to Remote Terminal Unit using standard software,
network protocols, and the Internet. Control engineering might be
absorbed or closely integrated with the corporate software.
Integrating SCADA data collection and alert monitoring with
corporate customer data provides management with an increased ability to
run the organization more efficiently and effectively. This thesis provides a
conceptual analysis for the creation of a SCADA network security
exploration alert. A framework application using common SCADA network
security logic is created to provide a proof of concept. Development of a
viable alert system for identifying SCADA network remotely will help
improve critical infrastructure security by improving situational awareness
for network managers.
M.Eng.