SCADA Systems
Supervisory, Control and Data
Acquisition (SCADA) systems represent a subset of industrial
control systems. And, like industrial controls, SCADA
systems have become network-centric, leveraging the power of
intelligent sensors and actuators, networking, computing,
and communication assets to achieve optimal control and
situational awareness, typically in a large, complex system.
How easily can these systems be compromised? And, will these
systems help us manage the use of fuel in our everyday
travels?
more
Online Value-Added Services
Value-added services run the gamut, from modifying a simple
component to providing the OEM with a complete supply chain
management system. The web is—once again—creating more
opportunities for companies to make the engineer’s and
buyer’s daily tasks easier and more organized. Distributor
Newark recently introduced a new connector selector guide on
their website, and that news spurred me to seek out
additional online helpers. I’ve discovered a few, and have
included the details of them in this article—now you can
create your own online “parts list,” create a component
pricing spreadsheet, visit specialized sites for creating
those products, design a RF cable assembly, and click-on
many parametric connector search sites. Let me know what
other sites you’re using and/or give the sites in this issue
a test drive, then send me your thoughts and I’ll send you a
ConnectorSupplier.com T-shirt. Email
atanghe@connectorsupplier.com. more
Your next issue of ConnectorSupplier.com Extra will
not be delivered until September 9, 2008. The focus of that
issue is Industrial Ethernet.
The ConnectorSupplier.com Extra
lineup for this year includes:
September 9,
Industrial, Industrial Ethernet, Value-Added Perspective
October
14,
Computer, Changing I/O environment, Value-Added
Perspective
November
11,
Telecom, Structured Wiring Systems, Value-Added
Perspective
Test Drive These Value-Added Websites
Receive a ConnectorSupplier.com
T-shirt!
Let
me know what other sites you’re using and/or give the
sites in this issue a test drive, then send me your
thoughts and I’ll send you a
ConnectorSupplier.com
T-shirt. Email
atanghe@connectorsupplier.com.
Trivia
And
the winner is... Craig Clewell, senior electrical development
engineer at Yazaki North America Inc.,
Middletown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Thanks and congratulations!
Question:
What are SCADA systems? Should we be concerned about
terrorist activity within these systems?
Answer:
SCADA stands for Supervisory Control and Data
Acquisition. Yes, we should be concerned about terrorist
activity within these systems. These systems are
extremely vulnerable to cyber terrorism due to the fact
that they are standardized and open solutions, in
addition to the increased number of connections that
exist between them and office networks, as well as the
Internet.
