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CompTIA Security+ 3.1
TechKnowSurge Catalog Interactives Supervisory Control or Data Acquisition?
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Supervisory Control or Data Acquisition?

Command going out, or data coming back? Sort each SCADA message as supervisory control or data acquisition. Land five in a row.

⚑ Complete this interactive to capture a CTF flag worth 5 points.

About this interactive

On the lesson's car assembly line, robots first worked on their own. What one robot did or found could affect the next, so control was centralized. That is SCADA, supervisory control and data acquisition. It is a two-way street. Supervisory control sends instructions out to manipulate the equipment. Data acquisition receives information back, from sensors and from the equipment, so the system can decide and give better instructions. Its core parts are the servers and software doing the controlling, the network and protocols carrying messages both ways, sensors reporting what is happening, and controllers on the floor, RTUs or PLCs, that deliver the instructions to the equipment. To sort a card, ask which way the message travels: out to the equipment, or back to the system.

What you'll learn

Aligned to

CompTIA Security+
3.1 Compare and contrast security implications of different architecture models.

Key terms

Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition
SCADA
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition is a system architecture used in critical infrastructure to collect sensor data and issue real-time control commands; SCADA security failures can result in physical damage to industrial equipment and facilities.
Supervisory Control
The function of a SCADA system that sends commands and instructions to field devices and equipment to direct their operations.
Data Acquisition
The function of a SCADA system that collects sensor and device data from the field to inform control decisions.
Remote Terminal Unit
RTU
Remote Terminal Unit is a field device in OT/ICS environments that collects sensor data and executes commands; RTU compromise can allow unauthorized control of physical infrastructure.
Programmable Logic Controller
PLC
Programmable Logic Controller is an industrial computer used to automate machinery and processes; PLC security is a cornerstone of OT protection as exploitation can cause physical damage.

Topics

Interactive Streak Sort

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