SCADA Honeynets: The attractiveness of honeypots as critical infrastructure security tools for the detection and analysis of advanced threats

Abstract

<p>Since the Stuxnet worm was discovered by a Belarusian security company, there has been a growing awareness of and a renewed interest in control system security. There is concern from some security researchers that the attention Stuxnet has received will have a proliferating effect. Will control systems now attract more attention from hackers, organized crime, terrorists, and foreign intelligence services? Will these attacks evolve beyond the typical virus or malware driven attacks commonly seen?</p> <p>Using a honeynet designed for control systems, insight into these questions will be sought by comparing the number and types of attacks received by a simulated control system with the number and types of attacks received by an IT network. Also, the usefulness of using honeynets on control systems to track adversary's means and methods as well as serve as an early warning system will be explored.</p>