Browsing by Author "Apostol, Mihai"

Critical infrastructures have always been the most sensitive, vulnerable area of any system or process. Therefore, no matter how well they are protected, they will always have a degree of vulnerability, as a rule, being the first targets when it comes to destabilizing or even destroying a system or process. In a world where almost all technological processes are based on automation and controlled by industrial control systems (ICS), people rely on these infrastructures directly or indirectly and they have become indispensable to society. Most critical infrastructures are controlled by SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) which means that it comes with flaws, bugs, known and unknown vulnerabilities that can be exploited by any means. The SCADA network is responsible for many functionalities and applications that enable operations at the infrastructure level. SCADA systems are based on an operating flow that starts from collecting information from various measuring instruments and stops displaying information to operators, so that they can act accordingly. Because of this long and important process, SCADA systems are exposed to many cyber threats. In this article, we will present the main components of SCADA systems and briefly describe their operation and use. Also, we will identify the most common vulnerabilities of control systems and data acquisition and will mention possible types of cyberattack that can target these systems. The effects on the company will be discussed in the event of a successful cyberattack and we will highlight different methods of protection and security in order to prevent or combat any threat.

In a time when technology is advancing with extreme rapidity, perhaps the greatest challenge to be answered by new generations is the development of the skills that allow them to function in a digitized society. This challenge is addressed on the one hand to the average man, for whom mastering the operation in the IT&C field is a functional necessity, as well as to those passionate about programming and electronics. If it is necessary for the first ones to identify the simplest and friendliest ways by which the new technologies can be implemented, the formation of the second category implies the inclusion in the educational process of the newest technologies and the familiarization with them up to the level at which it can unlock creativity and development. In this paper, we aim to address the issue of Single-Board-Computer (SBC) devices in terms of understanding the educational potential that these devices have, but also how they can be leveraged in learning. In fact, these devices have been developed specifically for educational purposes or to be used as embedded systems. They represent small computers having all components embedded on a single silicon board and having CPU, GPU, memory, input / output and other features required for a functional computer. For this purpose, we will analyze comparatively the content of the curriculum of the most important technical universities in Romania and abroad to identify the extent to which such devices are taken over by the universities, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of their use. Depending on the results obtained, we will develop a set of measures aimed at optimizing the educational potential of SBC devices, especially Raspberry Pi devices which are the most widespread SBC.