Uninterruptible power supply ups security

A UPS (uninterruptible power supply) sits between an alternative source of power – such as a standby diesel generator – and protected loads.

In the case of the uninterruptible power supply, the ability to remotely monitor them has opened up these devices to external networks. Naturally, a UPS without a network card or any other way of remote accessing it is not directly exposed to a cyber-attack. Fig. 1.

Modern uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) have an almost innate vulnerability making them one of the possible entry doors for an attack. Why is UPS Vulnerable? IIoT and the cloud have provided many companies with new processes that are more efficient, some to the point that they require minimal human intervention.

An isolated UPS network with a single point of access using one of these devices constitutes a good solution that balances security and flexibility. Companies will always face cybersecurity threats, but there are several preventive measures people can take to secure their uninterruptible power supply systems.

In many cases, all it takes for a cybercriminal group to inflict damage to a business is gaining access to a single component within that businesses' network. Modern uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) have an almost innate vulnerability making them one of the possible entry doors for an attack. Why is UPS Vulnerable?

Besides the network infrastructure exposure, there are other different ways to exploit a UPS's vulnerability. A common one is when the UPS is hacked and directed to power off a control system in an organized manner. This can be done to sabotage or manipulate a production environment during the power outage.