  Since the 1960s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems have
been used within industry. Referred to as critical infrastructure (CI), key
installations such as power stations, water treatment and energy grids are
controlled using SCADA. Existing literature reveals inherent security risks to
CI and suggests this stems from the rise of interconnected networks, leading to
the hypothesis that the rise of interconnectivity between corporate networks
and SCADA system networks pose security risks to CI. The results from studies
into previous global attacks involving SCADA and CI, with focus on two highly
serious incidents in Iran and Ukraine, reveal that although interconnectivity
is a major factor, isolated CIs are still highly vulnerable to attack due to
risks within the SCADA controllers and protocols.
