Masahiro Hashiguchi1 Katsuhiro Takamatsu1
Many companies and organizations have introduced information technology (IT) to improve the efficiency of operations and to centralize high-density information into their information system. As a result, they need to take thorough measures to ensure the security of the information system. Production control systems also need similar security measures because they closely work together with the information system, but existing measures are not enough. This report describes the importance of security measures for production control systems, methods to check for potential threats and analyze vulnerabilities of the system, and other security measures in the IT environment.
To improve the efficiency of operations, production control systems are working together more closely with information systems. As a result, security measures have become indispensable for production control systems though they have not been emphasized to date. Because many production control systems are used for critical infrastructure, some malware tries to attack them.
Security measures for production control systems, however, have hardly been introduced. This is because production control systems have used dedicated hardware, software, and protocols. However, such systems have recently been exposed to security threats as they introduce general-purpose technologies.
Security measures must be implemented from the viewpoint of the system. From this standpoint, Yokogawa identifies potential threats to customers' production control systems, analyzes their vulnerabilities, and proposes security measures. This paper describes these security measures. In addition, this paper outlines the security measures in the IT environment included in those security measures, and introduces tools to strengthen the security in the IT environment.
Cooperation with information systems and increase in security threats
The information system receives the benefits of general- purpose OSs (e.g., Windows, Linux) and the Internet, but is long exposed to security threats. Therefore, security measures have been introduced for this system. As it works closely together with the information system, the production control system also needs security measures.
Key infrastructure and production control systems
The production control system, which has thus become exposed to security threats, often serves as a key system of companies or society, such as a product manufacturing system or a system for critical infrastructure for electric power, water supply, sewerage, oil, or natural gas. If a production control system stops, it may have a big impact on society. Therefore, the system is protected by two kinds of security measures: one to prevent it from stopping and the other when it stops. These are described in the "Investigation of security measures" section.
Difference between production control systems and information systems
Comparing the production control system with the information system, they have some differences in assets to be protected, system environment, and system interface. The largest difference is the seriousness of damage in case of an incident. If the production control system fails, it may directly affect the human body, life, society, environment, etc. and cause serious damage. This is why tougher security measures are required for the production control system than for the information system.
Change in cyber attacks
Cyber attacks have changed from indiscriminate attacks to targeted attacks on specific users. The purpose of targeted attacks is to attack the system of a specific organization or business category and to exploit its protected assets or disrupt its operation. According to a report by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan, the proportion of companies that experienced targeted cyber attacks increased to 33% in 2011, from 5.4% in 20071.
The structure of malware used for targeted cyber attacks has also evolved. The old type was often a means for the creator to show off his knowledge or skills, thus most malware was relatively simple. However, recent malware is large-scale and elaborate designed to effectively attack a specific system.
Stuxnet
Stuxnet, which is one malware for targeted cyber attacks, was discovered in June 2010. This advanced malware exploits the vulnerability of both Windows and the software of a specific SCADA vendor.
According to a report by the Information-technology Promotion Agency, Japan, an independent administrative institution, Stuxnet is 500 Kbytes or more in size, which means that it is larger and more complex than any previous one2.
The most notable fact about Stuxnet is that it was developed to attack a specific production control system and it succeeded in damaging some facilities3.
This chapter describes the concept of Yokogawa's security measures.
Identification of potential threats
Potential threats to systems are identified by the following procedures. First, assets to be protected are specified and then their potential threats are identified in consideration of the system environment and interface.
Considering the system environment and interface, possible potential threats to the assets to be protected are as follows.
Vulnerability analysis
The vulnerability analysis analyzes the vulnerability of the system to the identified potential threats. As an example, consider the possibility of leakage of customer and recipe information to other companies. If the system allows any person to view and copy recipe information, this is recognized as vulnerability in the system and security measures are required against it. Meanwhile, the vulnerability analysis sometimes reveals that a potential threat is not a real menace. For example, information leakage or shutdown due to unauthorized access through remote access functions seems to be a real threat. In actual operation, however, remote access requires a special device that is accessible to only a limited number of people. Therefore, the feasibility of this threat is negligible.
Investigation of security measures
After the vulnerability analysis for assets to be protected is completed, security measures against the vulnerability of the system are listed. Although the system can be secured with all these measures, adopting all of them is not realistic because of various constraints on operation and costs. Therefore, customers should select security measures by weighing the operation and costs.
Meanwhile, some production control systems serve as systems for critical infrastructure for electric power, water supply, sewerage, oil, or natural gas, etc. If they stop, it would seriously affect the human body, life, society, environment, etc. Therefore, systems for critical infrastructure require security measures to prevent them from stopping and those to minimize damages in case they stop. The former type of measure can secure availability by preventing unnecessary packets from entering the system even when it receives DoS Note 2)/DDoS Note 3) attacks. The latter type of measure can minimize an infection by malware by dividing the network of the system into multiple segments even when part of the system is infected by malware.
Note 1) Fieldbus communications protocol proposed by the Fieldbus Foundation™
Note 2) Denial of Service attack
Note 3) Distributed Denial of Service attack
Determination of security measures
When determining security measures, we should examine the balance of three elements: confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA)4. Table 1 shows an example of potential threats and security measures in terms of CIA.
Table 1 Potential threats and security measures in terms of CIA
Potential threats | Security measures | |
---|---|---|
Confidentiality | Leakage of customer or recipe information to other companies | Appropriate ACL-based authorization, and data protection (e.g., by encryption or signature) |
Information leakage and operation shutdown due to unauthorized access through remote access functions | Appropriate ACL-based authorization, and protection of communications data | |
Integrity | Operation shutdown due to falsification of order or recipe information | Appropriate ACL-based authorization, and protection of data |
Availability | Operation shutdown due to DoS/DDoS attacks | Prevention of inflow of unnecessary packets (Firewall/L3SW1) and making communication protocols robust |
System down and leakage of confidential information due to malware | Measures using software for security measures (antivirus software) | |
Divide the network of the system into multiple segments to minimize infection by malware |
Means for security measures
When investigating specific means for measures determined in the previous section, there may be several means available. For example, against the threat of leakage of customer or recipe information to other companies, effective security measures may include appropriate authorization based on an access control list (ACL-based authorization), or data protection. The ACL-based authorization can be achieved not only by programming but also by using ACL-based authorization provided by the OS. Thus, roughly categorizing, there are three types of security measures available.
Changing threats
Threats to the system change as the system environment changes or new vulnerabilities in the system interface are discovered. Therefore, the results of identification of potential threats, vulnerability analysis, investigation of security measures, determination of security measures and means for security measures, described in earlier sections, must be periodically reviewed.
Security standards for determining security measures
The vulnerability analysis must be carried out extensively to determine security measures. It is effective to refer to NIST SP800-825, etc.
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Figure 1 Conceptual diagram of IT security setting |
As described above, there are three types of security measures for the system product: security measure by incorporating functions into products, by using the IT environment, and by operation control. This section introduces security measures using the IT environment (hereafter referred to as "IT security"), which were released in September 2011 for common use among Yokogawa's system products.
Features of IT security
IT security for the system products of Yokogawa is a measure to enhance the security strength of the Windows PC environment, where the software of the system products run, by using the security function of Windows (hereafter this enhancement is referred to as "hardening"). The major feature of this measure is automatic hardening of the PC by a tool (hereafter this tool is referred to as "IT security tool"). Because hardening of the PC can be carried out with the IT security tool, it is possible to reduce the engineering man-hours and human errors caused by manual work, thus preventing the creation of new vulnerabilities.
Features of IT security tool
The IT security tool has the following features.
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Figure 2 Conceptual diagram of setting flow |
Hardening of PC
Hardening of the PC is a technique to enhance security strength by reducing the vulnerability within the PC. The major items for the hardening supported by IT security are as follows.
This paper has clarified the difference between the production control system and the information system, and described the tactics used to attack them. Then it proposed procedures for identifying potential threats, analyzing vulnerabilities, and implementing security measures. It also outlined security measures by the IT environment and introduced the functions of the IT security tool.
Yokogawa, as a solution supplier of production control systems, has been providing security measures from the viewpoint of the system. Taking its system products as a core product for the solution, Yokogawa will continue to provide security measures from the viewpoint of the system.
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