Industrial control system(ICS) is a general term that encompasses several types of control systems, including supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, distributed control systems (DCS), and other smaller control system configurations such as skid-mounted Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) often found in the industrial sectors and critical infrastructures. ICSs are typically used in industries such as Electrical, water, oil and gas, chemical, transportation, pharmaceutical, pulp and paper, food and beverage, and discrete manufacturing (e.g., automotive, aerospace, and durable goods.) These control systems are critical to the operation of the U.S. critical infrastructures that are often highly interconnected and mutually dependent systems. It is important to note that approximately 90 percent of the nation's critical infrastructures are privately owned and operated. Federal agencies also operate many of the industrial processes mentioned above; other examples include air traffic control and materials handling (e.g., Postal Service mail handling.) This section provides an overview of SCADA, DCS, and PLC systems, including typical architectures and components. Several diagrams are presented to depict the network connections and components typically found on each system to facilitate the understanding of these systems. The diagrams in this section do not address security and the diagrams in this section do not represent a secure architecture.
SOURCE:
NIST Guide to Supervisory and Data Acquisition-SCADA and Industrial Control Systems Security (2007)
