A 2023 Outlook: SCADA & Automation Innovation
Through digitalization developments such as IIoT, SCADA is increasingly intertwined with automation processes. In return, data analytics, visibility and efficiency have all progressed. This trend is only likely to further innovate going forward. As we head into the new year, here are some predictions on how that will unfold.
Automation Adoption will Expand
Automation isn’t new, but it is certainly becoming more common place, especially in settings where SCADA is prevalent. With the introduction of other creations in this realm, the market is expected to grow even more. For instance, Gartner projects that hyper-automation software will reach nearly $860 billion by 2025. And, according to a Deloitte survey, 53% of organizations have integrated the use of robotic process automation. It’s predicted that operators will also begin seeking out better data convergence methods that establish a more thorough network across platforms.
The Accelerated Rise of Cybersecurity Risk
But with these advances has also come a significant concern – cybersecurity. As we move on from 2022, measures such as a cybersecurity mesh approach and other tactics will gain traction, particularly with wider cybersecurity issues growing alongside influences including the war between Russia and Ukraine and more. A prime interest among expanding threat actors are ICS and SCADA systems due to the support they provide to critical infrastructure. Stephanie Carruthers, chief people hacker at IBM Security X-Force Red told VentureBeat that “Social engineers are already beginning to advance their techniques and tactics to more successfully gain access to these vulnerable systems, and we anticipate this to accelerate — with even more success — in the year ahead.”
And because SCADA and the tech around it is an evolving area, it will continue to demand new and emerging strategies and security solutions. For example, researchers from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently revealed that they are monitoring a Russian hacking group that is believed to be tracking U.S. satellite network details. According to Christian Vasquez at CyberScoop, the target “involved a satellite communications provider with customers in U.S. critical infrastructure sectors” that was “transmitting unencrypted supervisory control and data acquisition, or SCADA, traffic.”
So, from the factory to space, enhancing SCADA protections will be an important pursuit in 2023 and beyond.
Sources
“SCADA Systems Get a Boost From IIoT and Digitalization” - David Murphy, Automation.com
https://www.automation.com/en-us/articles/october-2022/scada-systems-boost-iiot-digitalization
“Top 7 digital transformation trends to drive efficient growth in 2023” - Shubham Sharma, VentureBeat
https://venturebeat.com/automation/top-7-digital-transformation-trends-to-drive-efficient-growth-in-2023/
“6 IBM cybersecurity predictions for 2023: Ransomware and CaaS will spike” - Tim Keary, VentureBeat
https://venturebeat.com/security/ibm-cybersecurity-predictions/
“CISA researchers: Russia's Fancy Bear infiltrated US satellite network” - Christian Vasquez, CyberScoop
https://www.cyberscoop.com/apt28-fancy-bear-satellite/