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operators can use a high-powered speaker to ask them use vulnerabilities in the video servers, workstations, to identify themselves. The camera’s recording capa- and cameras to move from the video environment to the bilities come in handy for security issues as well. “As control system environment.” soon as an object changes the pane of view (someone Any IP-enabled system that integrates with or affects approaching), operators have a cache of the previous the DCS should go through a comprehensive cyber risk 10 seconds, the actual action, and the following ten assessment frst to ensure design does not open the sys- seconds after the object or person leaves the pane of tem to additional risk, Pollet says. He’s seen actual cyber view,” Pollet says. intrusions in which hackers used the video surveillance

But while integration can be great for business and camera to get into the system. provide a cost-effective way to monitor the platform, “My main concern with this movement to IP is to cyber intrusion through the network is a big concern. make sure it’s isolated and not connected to the control

Rigs are often targets for malicious activities, especial- system. Unfortunately installers want the ability to go ly in remote areas, and one way to gather intelligence is in remotely — through the internet.” to hack into a camera system. “Terrorists might want While Pollet wants to keep the networks secure with to take over the rig’s assets or personnel for ransom, separate systems, he understands why the industry is which has actually happened at an oil refnery in Eu- reluctant to separate them — because of the “limited rope,” Nuth says. “They might have planned a success- bandwidth, limited communications, and one satellite ful infltration by hacking cameras to see where the uplink. So they end up converging all those systems to assets are located. But the video encoder converts the save money,” he said.

video feed from the camera to the recipient — whether Pollet believes this to be a problem in terms of secu- in the control room or on the PC at home — so nobody rity: “The danger here is that you’ve put two different can intercept.” systems that serve two different functions on the same

However, “encoding the video only protects the video cyber network. If the video surveillance system is not content from being hijacked or altered in transit from locked down and secure, someone could access the the camera to the software,” Pollet says. video system from a business network or Internet and “It only protects the video stream. If the video system use the video system as a way to link themselves into is integrated with the control system, hackers would not the DCS system. If it’s all integrated together, and I can be targeting the video content itself, but instead would access the video system, I’m on the same network. So oedigital.com 146

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