How to Find Vulnerabilities in Your SCADA Infrastructure
It sounds like the start of a disaster movie. The power goes out across a sprawling metropolis. Gas prices surge as you try to flee the city. You reach the countryside only to find your safe haven is under water.
While the likelihood of these scenarios coinciding outside of a theater is low, cyber attacks on Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) infrastructures can make them a reality. In 2022, hackers were observed penetrating the networks of at least seven Indian State Load Dispatch Centres that control the electrical grids for cities in northern India. In 2021, a ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline hit motorists in the pockets at gas stations along the U.S. east coast. And even a dam in the quaint hamlet of Rye Brook, New York narrowly avoided a cyber attack in 2013.
SCADA infrastructures provide small industries with a number of benefits as they allow operators to monitor and control processes in real-time with minimal human intervention and increased efficiency. Around the globe, they are used for electric grids, power generation, water management, manufacturing, transportation, agriculture, and more, but even small businesses use SCADA to automate HVAC systems, lighting controls, and security systems. So how can you take advantage of these systems that reduce manual intervention, increase efficiency, and improve quality control, while keeping your business safe from cyber attacks?
Use a DopeScope to Sniff out Trouble
Some SCADA solutions now come with embedded unsecured Wi-Fi access points for ease of management/configuration. WarCollar’s DopeScope 2.0 is a directional Wi-Fi Sniffing device that fits in the palm of your hand that can help you identify those unknown access points. It is built on a powerful ESP32 wireless SoC. This SoC features a dual-core CPU, 520 KiB SRAM, 4MB of program memory, 802.11bgn and Bluetooth 4.2 BR/EDR and BLE. It comes with an RGB IPS screen with a resolution of 160x80 with a lens that allows for easy handheld Wi-Fi hunting.
Learn more about the DopeScope 2.0
