What are industrial control systems (ICS)?
An industrial control system (ICS) is a set of systems, equipment, and devices used to monitor, control, and automate industrial processes. These systems are critical in manufacturing, energy, water treatment, and other infrastructure. They enable safe and efficient operation of processes.
There are several types of ICS systems, the most common of which are supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and distributed control systems (DCS). Oftentimes, actual ICS implementations are a hybrid of SCADA and DCS.
What is ICS security and why is ICS security important?
ICS security refers to the strategies, technologies, and practices used to protect industrial control systems from cyber threats, unauthorized access, and other security risks. Given ICSs are often responsible for critical processes in manufacturing and infrastructure, their security is critical to ensure safety, reliability, and continuity.