Secure Computing supplies important SCADA-specific security signatures

SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems are used by energy, water, oil/gas, and chemical companies to control critical network components.

Integration of these SCADA signatures is part of Secure Computing's continued focus on protecting critical infrastructure to ensure that control networks are fully protected, and comes in the middle of Secure Computing's Cyber Security Initiative and NCSA's Cyber Security Awareness Month.

Secure Firewall is the world's strongest security for standard protocols used over typical IT networks, and now protects critical networks from every type of attack, even those targeting SCADA networks.

Secure Firewall provides custom security measures that understand and control SCADA-specific protocols.

"Critical infrastructure is under intense scrutiny by regulators and hackers alike. Securing these networks is a national imperative, not an option. Unfortunately, most security devices aren't designed to meet the special needs of control networks. They cannot filter SCADA-specific protocols to prevent attacks against these critical infrastructure networks. Secure Firewall, however, is a perfect combination of the strongest firewall on the market along with the custom protocol security that is a necessity for SCADA networks. Especially in the Middle East, which has numerous oil and gas companies, we expect the Secure Firewall to prove extremely beneficial."

said Nimer Ghazal, Regional Sales Manager - Middle East, Secure Computing.

Here are the three new SCADA signature types being provided by Secure Firewall:

- SCADA:ICCP: The Inter-Control Center Communications Protocol (ICCP or IEC 60870-6/TASE.2) is being specified by utility organizations throughout the world to provide data exchange over wide area networks (WANs) between utility control centers, utilities, power pools, regional control centers, and Non-Utility Generators.

- SCADA:MODBUS: Modbus is a serial communications protocol for use with its programmable logic controllers (PLCs).

It has become a de facto standard communications protocol in the industry, and is now the most commonly available means of connecting industrial electronic devices.

- SCADA:DNP3.0: DNP3.0 (Distributed Network Protocol) is a set of communications protocols used between components in process automation systems.

Its main use is in utilities such as electric and water companies.

Specifically, it was developed to facilitate communication between various types of data acquisition and control equipment.