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performing-scada-hmi-security-assessment Perform security assessments of SCADA Human-Machine Interface (HMI) systems to identify vulnerabilities in web-based HMIs, thin-client configurations, authentication mechanisms, and communication channels between HMI and PLCs, aligned with IEC 62443 and NIST SP 800-82 guidelines.
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Related occupations SOC
Based on SOC occupation classification
name performing-scada-hmi-security-assessment description Perform security assessments of SCADA Human-Machine Interface (HMI) systems to identify vulnerabilities in web-based HMIs, thin-client configurations, authentication mechanisms, and communication channels between HMI and PLCs, aligned with IEC 62443 and NIST SP 800-82 guidelines.
domain cybersecurity subdomain ot-ics-security tags ["ot-security","ics","scada","hmi","security-assessment","vulnerability","iec62443","nist-800-82"] version 1.0 author mahipal license Apache-2.0
Performing SCADA HMI Security Assessment
When to Use
When assessing the security posture of HMI systems in SCADA/DCS environments
When evaluating web-based HMI interfaces for common web vulnerabilities
When auditing HMI authentication, authorization, and session management
When testing communication security between HMIs and PLCs/RTUs
When preparing for IEC 62443 or NERC CIP compliance assessments
Do not use for testing HMIs in active production without a maintenance window and rollback plan, for PLC-level protocol analysis (see performing-s7comm-protocol-security-analysis), or for general web application testing on non-OT systems.
Prerequisites
HMI system inventory with vendor, version, and network configuration details
Lab or test environment mirroring production HMI setup (preferred for active testing)
Authorization from plant operations for testing during maintenance windows
NIST SP 800-82 and IEC 62443 security requirements documentation
Network capture capability on HMI-to-PLC communication segment
Workflow
Step 1: Assess HMI Attack Surface
"""SCADA HMI Security Assessment Tool.
Evaluates HMI security across authentication, communication,
configuration, and web interface categories aligned with
IEC 62443 and NIST SP 800-82 requirements.
"""
import json
import sys
from datetime import datetime
from typing import Dict , List
try :
import requests
except ImportError:
print ("Install requests: pip install requests" )
sys.exit(1 )
class HMISecurityAssessment :
"""Performs security assessment of SCADA HMI systems."""
def __init__ (self, hmi_info: dict ):
self .hmi_info = hmi_info
self
self
0
self
0
def
check_authentication
self
"""Assess HMI authentication mechanisms."""
"id"
"AUTH-01"
"name"
"Password complexity enforcement"
"iec62443_ref"
"ISA-62443-3-3 SR 1.7"
"description"
"HMI must enforce minimum password complexity requirements"
"test"
"Verify minimum length >= 8, complexity rules, history >= 5"
"id"
"AUTH-02"
"name"
"Account lockout policy"
"iec62443_ref"
"ISA-62443-3-3 SR 1.11"
"description"
"HMI must lock accounts after failed login attempts"
"test"
"Verify lockout after 5 failed attempts, lockout duration >= 15 min"
"id"
"AUTH-03"
"name"
"Default credentials changed"
"iec62443_ref"
"ISA-62443-3-3 SR 1.5"
"description"
"All default vendor credentials must be changed"
"test"
"Attempt login with known vendor defaults (admin/admin, operator/operator)"
"id"
"AUTH-04"
"name"
"Role-based access control"
"iec62443_ref"
"ISA-62443-3-3 SR 2.1"
"description"
"HMI must separate operator, engineer, and admin roles"
"test"
"Verify operator role cannot access engineering functions"
"id"
"AUTH-05"
"name"
"Session timeout enforcement"
"iec62443_ref"
"ISA-62443-3-3 SR 1.12"
"description"
"HMI sessions must time out after inactivity"
"test"
"Verify session timeout <= 15 minutes for operator, <= 5 for admin"
"id"
"AUTH-06"
"name"
"Multi-factor authentication for remote access"
"iec62443_ref"
"ISA-62443-3-3 SR 1.13"
"description"
"Remote HMI access requires MFA"
"test"
"Verify MFA is enforced for all non-local HMI connections"
print
f"\n--- AUTHENTICATION ASSESSMENT ---"
for
in
self
1
print
f" [{check['id' ]} ] {check['name' ]} "
print
f" Ref: {check['iec62443_ref' ]} "
print
f" Test: {check['test' ]} "
def
check_communication_security
self
"""Assess HMI-to-PLC communication security."""
"id"
"COMM-01"
"name"
"Encrypted HMI-PLC communication"
"description"
"Traffic between HMI and PLCs should use encrypted protocols (OPC UA with TLS)"
"test"
"Capture HMI-PLC traffic and verify encryption (Wireshark TLS handshake)"
"id"
"COMM-02"
"name"
"HMI write command authentication"
"description"
"Write commands from HMI to PLC should be authenticated"
"test"
"Verify that write operations require operator confirmation/authentication"
"id"
"COMM-03"
"name"
"Web HMI uses HTTPS"
"description"
"Web-based HMI interfaces must use TLS 1.2+ with valid certificates"
"test"
"Check TLS version, cipher suites, certificate validity"
"id"
"COMM-04"
"name"
"No cleartext protocols in use"
"description"
"Telnet, FTP, HTTP must not be used for HMI access or management"
"test"
"Port scan HMI for cleartext protocol services"
print
f"\n--- COMMUNICATION SECURITY ASSESSMENT ---"
for
in
self
1
print
f" [{check['id' ]} ] {check['name' ]} "
print
f" Test: {check['test' ]} "
def
check_web_hmi_security
self
"""Assess web-based HMI for common web vulnerabilities."""
self
"url"
""
if
not
print
f"\n [SKIP] No web HMI URL provided"
return
"id"
"WEB-01"
"name"
"Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)"
"owasp"
"A7:2017"
"test"
"Test input fields with XSS payloads in tag names, alarm messages"
"id"
"WEB-02"
"name"
"Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)"
"owasp"
"A8:2013"
"test"
"Verify CSRF tokens on state-changing operations (setpoint changes)"
"id"
"WEB-03"
"name"
"Insecure Direct Object References"
"owasp"
"A4:2013"
"test"
"Manipulate URL parameters to access other users HMI views"
"id"
"WEB-04"
"name"
"Security Headers"
"test"
"Verify X-Frame-Options, CSP, X-Content-Type-Options headers"
"id"
"WEB-05"
"name"
"Privileged file system access (CVE-2025-0921)"
"test"
"Check Ignition SCADA for privileged file system vulnerability via project files"
print
f"\n--- WEB HMI SECURITY ASSESSMENT ---"
print
f" Target: {hmi_url} "
for
in
self
1
print
f" [{check['id' ]} ] {check['name' ]} "
print
f" Test: {check['test' ]} "
def
check_hardening
self
"""Assess HMI operating system and application hardening."""
"id"
"HARD-01"
"name"
"OS patch level"
"test"
"Verify HMI OS is patched within SLA (typically 90 days for OT)"
"id"
"HARD-02"
"name"
"Unnecessary services disabled"
"test"
"Verify no unnecessary network services running (RDP if not needed, SMB, etc)"
"id"
"HARD-03"
"name"
"USB port restrictions"
"test"
"Verify USB mass storage is blocked on HMI terminals"
"id"
"HARD-04"
"name"
"Application whitelisting"
"test"
"Verify only authorized HMI applications can execute"
"id"
"HARD-05"
"name"
"Audit logging enabled"
"test"
"Verify operator actions, login events, and setpoint changes are logged"
print
f"\n--- HMI HARDENING ASSESSMENT ---"
for
in
self
1
print
f" [{check['id' ]} ] {check['name' ]} "
print
f" Test: {check['test' ]} "
def
generate_report
self
"""Generate assessment report."""
self
self
self
self
print
f"\n{'=' *70 } "
print
"SCADA HMI SECURITY ASSESSMENT SUMMARY"
print
f"{'=' *70 } "
print
f"Date: {datetime.now().isoformat()} "
print
f"HMI: {self.hmi_info.get('name' , 'Unknown' )} "
print
f"Vendor: {self.hmi_info.get('vendor' , 'Unknown' )} "
print
f"Version: {self.hmi_info.get('version' , 'Unknown' )} "
print
f"Total Checks: {self.checks_run} "
print
f"Findings: {len (self.findings)} "
if
"__main__"
"name"
"Plant-HMI-01"
"vendor"
"Siemens WinCC"
"version"
"7.5 SP2"
"ip"
"10.10.2.10"
"url"
"https://10.10.2.10:8080"
"os"
"Windows 10 LTSC 2021"
Key Concepts Term Definition HMI Human-Machine Interface providing operators visual representation and control of industrial processes Web HMI Browser-based HMI interface accessible via HTTP/HTTPS, subject to standard web vulnerabilities Setpoint Target value for a process variable that operators can change through the HMI; unauthorized changes can cause process upset Alarm Suppression Attacker technique of disabling or hiding HMI alarms to mask malicious process manipulation WinCC Siemens SCADA/HMI software widely deployed in manufacturing and process industries CVE-2025-0921 Ignition SCADA privileged file system vulnerability exploitable through malicious project uploads
Output Format HMI SECURITY ASSESSMENT REPORT
=================================
Date: YYYY-MM-DD
HMI: [name] | Vendor: [vendor] | Version: [version]
FINDINGS BY CATEGORY:
Authentication: [pass/fail count]
Communication: [pass/fail count]
Web Security: [pass/fail count]
Hardening: [pass/fail count]
CRITICAL FINDINGS:
1. [finding with remediation]
COMPLIANCE STATUS:
IEC 62443 SL-T: [target level]
IEC 62443 SL-A: [achieved level]
