Topic: Industrial Control Systems Security and Privacy Issues

A family of process automation technologies, including Distributed Control Systems (DCS) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, are collectively referred to as industrial control systems (ICS) or Industrial Automation and Control Systems (IACS), which include a variety of technologies that are frequently unfamiliar to modern IT security professionals or the tools they use. These control systems manage electromechanical equipment in either local or distributed environments using Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) or similar Intelligent Electronic Devices (IED), Remote Terminal Units (RTU), and input/output (I/O) devices. Their applications span a variety of industrial sectors and critical infrastructures, including electricity generation and distribution, water treatment and supply, oil refining, food production, and logistics.

However, ICS are increasingly becoming the target of cyberattacks. The systems, which were once isolated, are now vulnerable to a growing number of threats that are divided into two categories. The first category includes traditional IT attacks that target vulnerabilities in general-purpose IT systems that can be mitigated with software patches, antivirus programs, and firewalls. The second category includes cyberattacks against ICS, which are increasingly targeting ICS components. Traditional IT security mechanisms are being used by businesses to safeguard their operations in response to this threat.

The aim of this Special Issue is to gather both research and practical aspects of cyber security considerations in ICS. Aligned with the interdisciplinary nature of cyber security, authors from academia, government, and industry are welcome to contribute.

Distributed control systems, supervisory control and data acquisition systems security, industrial control systems security

31 Oct 2024