Gas stations and beyond: why cybersecurity is a top priority for industrial infrastructure

Gas stations and beyond: why cybersecurity is a top priority for industrial infrastructure
By: Chris Connell, Managing Director for Asia Pacific, Kaspersky

Something as common as a gas station has all the attributes of an ICS, such as connected equipment including pumps and tanks, controllers, a management system, a payment system, as well as connection to the corporate network, third-party service systems, and the internet. Just like any industrial facility, it has cybersecurity issues that companies should consider, to avoid disruptions that may affect the business, its employees, and the general public. This happened recently when gas stations in Iran were shut down because of a targeted attack.

This look through an ICS infrastructure is based on our research carried out at the end of 2020. It included the analysis of a modern gas station’s automation software architecture, a typical infrastructure, and the communications inside it. This allowed us to classify potential attack vectors and their impact on the fuel station’s network.

At a gas stationImagine you’re driving your car and you need to fill it. You stop at a gas station, put the dispenser in the tank and go to the convenience store to pay for the fuel. Once inside, the fresh coffee smells nice, you take some snacks for the road, complete your purchase and return to your vehicle.

To deliver the fuel to your tank, several systems should work: the back-office system and point of sales are used for payments and management functions. They are connected to the forecourt controller (FCC). This is the area with pumps outside the convenience store where custom ..

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