BECKHOFF IPC-Security - Manual (Page 10)

3. Direct Local Access
3.1. Overview
This chapter deals with the scenario that a cyber criminalhas direct, local access to the industrial controller.
The term “direct local access” means that the attacker can physically “grasp” the computer and interact
with it via attached input devices, e.g. mouse and/or keyboard. A regrettably common scenario would be
a machine hall in which the industrial controller is simply located on a desk instead of a locked cabinet and
therefore in an exposed location. A potential cyber criminal can then interact with the device via its keyboard
and/or mouse, attach USB sticks or even damage the device.
3.1.1. Devices
The following table provides an overview about common devices that play an important part in this scenario.
Device Category Description
IPC/EPC Industrial Controller Beckhoff Industrial-/Embedded-
PC
Keyboard Input devices Device used to input data
Mouse Input devices Device used to interact with on-
screen data
Touchscreen Input devices Device used to interact with on-
screen data
USB storage Mass storage devices USB devices used to store data
3.1.2. Software components
The following table provides an overview about software packages that play an important part in this sce-
nario.
Software Category Description
BIOS Firmware Firmware interface of a com-
puter
Microsoft Windows XP System software Operating System
Microsoft Windows 7 System software Operating System
Microsoft Windows Embedded System software Operating System
Microsoft Windows CE System software Operating system
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