Privacy, Security & Virus Information

Hackers Find New Levels of Sophistication by Attacking Scada Systems

Supervisory control and data acquisition technology, or Scada as it is generally known describes large-scale remote processing systems. Scada technology is especially proficient at gathering real time data in order to control industrial, infrastructure, or facility processes and equipment automatically with the minimum need for human intervention. All over the World, Scada technology is at the hub of controlling what is known as the critical infrastructure of such important operations as power plants, oil and gas refining centres, telecommunications and transportation systems among many others. That's why even the most modest of computer owners should be knocking at the knees to discover that even such a sophisticated system as Scada can be infiltrated by hackers. Yet that is exactly what has been reported within the last few days.

Computer systems giant Siemens have warned Scada users throughout the World of the existence of a powerful new and highly sophisticated virus that has been developed to attack SCADA systems. Strange though it may seem, Scada systems are rarely connected to the Internet, with security being one of the main reasons. However hackers have discovered a weak link in their security armour which they have succeeded in exploiting. The virus infiltrates the system through infected USB sticks, which are used to transmit and transport information internally.

Security experts recognize this virus attack as a sum of the fears that they have held for years- — malware that has been designed and programmed especially to infiltrate systems used in large scale commercial and public project. Fears that if these major systems are taken over by hackers acting on behalf of cyber terrorist organisations, they could be used to trigger a major attack . However security experts who have had access to the code are convinced that the hacker's intention was to log on to sensitive information either on manufacturing processes or even the hacker's most popular favourite: bank account details.

Siemens have alerted users of its highly sophist acted and comparatively expensive management software that these attacks, allegedly taking advantage of Windows security vulnerability were targeting computers used to manage large-scale industrial control systems.

For the average computer owner this latest attack should be a real wake up call. The call should make it evident that if hackers are capable of mounting attacks at this level, what they are capable of doing to a simple home computer. The lesson that needs to be learned is that computer security is all important and only the most powerful and up-to-date software can provide that level of security.

 

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