Analysis of Programmable Logic Controller Firmware for Threat Assessment and Forensic Investigation

摘要

Industrial Control Systems are developing into highly networked collections of distributed devices. The next generation of threats is likely to focus on PLC firmware. Just as traditional computer malware evolved to hide itself using operating system-level rootkits, so will ICS attacks evolve to embed themselves in the PLC equivalent: the firmware. This paper discusses the techniques and procedures required to access, inspect, and manipulate the firmware of an Allen-Bradley PLC. A detailed analysis provides details about the capabilities and methods required by an attacker, and the effectiveness of recovering PLC firmware for forensic investigation of a potential attack.