How To Secure A SCADA System

Protect Your SCADA System From Malicious Attacks

Enterprises use many specialised systems to control their operations, especially when they provide essential services such as water, electricity and gas. Industrial enterprises need systems that keep everything running without interruption.

Many industries use SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) for this. It collects vital information about the processes of a factory or other facility. A security breach can expose that data, and an attacker who reaches SCADA can also stop pumps, open breakers or falsify sensor readings. That affects both the enterprise and its customers.

What Is SCADA?

A SCADA system collects real-time information from different points of a facility and lets specialists monitor and control the processes. It helps run an enterprise smoothly and reduces emergencies, failures and downtime.

The main purpose of SCADA is to monitor and control many remote objects. Typical users are distribution substations, oil and gas pipelines, and water and gas supply systems. SCADA is used in any industry that needs real-time automated control of technical processes.

Operators work with SCADA software on a PC, while input/output drivers and related servers connect to the controlled objects.

At Go Wombat, one of our fields of activity is developing SCADA systems for organisations in the oil and gas industry and in manufacturing.

Main components of SCADA

Remote Terminal Unit (RTU).

An RTU is a field computing device at a remote site: it collects data from sensors and field equipment, sends it to the master station and carries out the master’s commands. Modern RTUs are fault-tolerant multiprocessor units that process information continuously in real time.

Master Terminal Unit (MTU).

The master unit where specialists process the information collected from all RTUs. It provides the human-machine interface through which supervisors interact with the automated process control system. Security measures must cover the MTU, the RTUs and PLCs, and the communication channels between them.

Communication System (CS).

The communication system connects the remote objects to the MTU.

SCADA is similar to the Internet of Things, but they are two different technologies.

To have a SCADA system built from scratch, contact Go Wombat.

Why SCADA Is Important

SCADA has several advantages:

High reliability

SCADA automates routine data collection and alarms around the clock, so operators see the state of remote equipment in real time and decide what to do.

The reduction of manual labour

Specialists no longer collect data by hand, so they can spend their time on more valuable work.

Failure detection

SCADA notifies the supervisor about failures so that a specialist can fix them quickly.

Remote maintenance

Many failures can be fixed remotely, without sending specialists to distant sites. The system can also handle some failures automatically.

Analytics and diagnostics

SCADA provides tools for analysis and system diagnostics. They make maintenance more efficient and show where modernisation is needed.

Information storage

Collected data is stored on servers, where it can be extracted and analysed to improve the enterprise’s performance.

Threats SCADA Systems May Face

Systems that hold sensitive data are always a target for attackers. The main threats to control systems are:

Hackers

The most dangerous threat is attackers looking for security gaps. They can steal information and demand a ransom or use it for other criminal purposes.

Malware

Malware is malicious software that changes your software and can damage how it works. Malware built specifically for industrial control systems is well documented: Stuxnet, BlackEnergy and Industroyer (used in the 2015–2016 attacks on Ukraine’s power grid), Triton/TRISIS and PIPEDREAM/INCONTROLLER. In April 2022, CISA advisory AA22-103A warned that APT actors had built tools to scan, compromise and control ICS/SCADA devices. Employees should also be careful with links in unusual emails and with unknown websites.

Human factor

People make mistakes, and even unintentional errors can cause security breaches. Lack of training is a real risk for SCADA, so train everyone who works with the system regularly.

Lack of maintenance

Software and hardware need regular updates. At Go Wombat, we can keep maintaining the SCADA software we build so that it stays up to date and secure.

If you have security issues, Go Wombat can help fix them: contact us.

Steps To Secure SCADA Systems

Some of these steps require technical skills, so we recommend working with a software development company.

Network Management

First, understand your system’s assets. If you ask Go Wombat to secure an existing SCADA system that we did not build, we start by analysing it and assessing its vulnerabilities and risks.

We map all SCADA network assets, connection points and user accounts, and only then decide how to secure the system. You cannot protect a system properly without knowing its weak points.

Security Requirements Identification

A company that uses SCADA needs a structured security programme with requirements for the technical staff who work with it. The programme gives a standards-based approach to cyber security, so employees know the required protection techniques, their responsibilities and what to do in an emergency.

Go Wombat can help you draw up cyber security requirements and the security standards all employees should follow.

System Backup And Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)

A DRP tells assigned employees how to restore the system after a disaster. We also strongly recommend regular system backups, so that critical information can be restored if it is lost. Train your staff to follow these instructions.

Control User Access

When many users work with one SCADA system, manage their access. Go Wombat can create access levels that follow your staff hierarchy, so each user can access only what their role requires. Without strict access levels, the system is more vulnerable.

Important note! Don’t force regular password changes: NIST SP 800-63B (revision 4, August 2025) says systems shall not require periodic password changes, and a password should be changed when there are signs it has been compromised. For SCADA, it matters more to use multi-factor authentication, give each person their own account, replace default passwords and restrict remote access.

Ensure Permanent Updates

As mentioned in the Threats section, software and hardware become outdated and need regular updates. Go Wombat recommends an internal policy that sets how often updates must be installed. The SCADA system then works better and is more secure.

We keep improving the software we build and maintain, including its security. Our certified Chief Cybersecurity Officer (CSO) is in charge of this work.

Additional Security Software

Finally, add security software to your SCADA network: firewalls (a basic must-have that blocks unwanted traffic), unidirectional security gateways (USG), a combination of hardware and software that lets data travel in only one direction, and intrusion detection systems that alert you immediately to unauthorised access.

Regular security audits are essential too. Our CSO will audit your network and run penetration tests to find weaknesses in the SCADA system before attackers do.