Consider the consequences: Understanding and limiting physical impacts caused by an ICS cyberattack

Industrial control systems have significantly improved the quality of life for most of the world’s population by controlling manufacturing processes that produce high-quality products at lower costs. Many products would be impossible to manufacture without the speed and accuracy provided by these computerised marvels. They are also crucial in transporting people (airlines, trains, public transport) and information (voice and data), as well as supporting essential utilities such as electricity, gas, water and sewage. Computerised control systems have also improved operating safety, resulting in fewer injuries, deaths, environmental impacts and equipment damage. Because of their potential to shut down critical infrastructure and cause physical damage, however, they have become high-value targets for cyberattacks. This paper explores the relationship between cyber exploit and physical impact and how engineers and IT specialists can use this understanding to build more robust control systems and processes. It also describes a recently patented controller architecture that prevents the malicious modification of control algorithms from a remote adversary.