A warning issued in May 2025 by the United States Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency identified a growing threat: hackers are now targeting industrial control systems (ICS) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. The takeaway? Today’s oil and gas cyber risks are growing even more serious. Though recent attacks may be relying on basic tactics, when fundamental safeguards are missing, you face real-world consequences like operational disruptions, unauthorized changes, or even physical damage.
That is why it is so crucial to have some level of defense in place. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) set of common standards for data security live in “System and Organization Controls (SOC) for Cybersecurity” while service organizations’ SOC 2 standards are more rigorous. As such, self-hosting SCADA data operators or anyone with SaaS (Software as a Service)-hosted solutions should always require an SOC 2 audit of their provider. Here to help with this is zdSCADA, one the largest SaaS SCADA solutions in the industry.
How Hackers Get In
Phishing remains one of the most common and damaging cyber threats out there. It works by tricking someone into handing over sensitive information, usually through a message that looks completely legitimate. One midstream operator running self-hosted SCADA learned this the hard way in 2019: a phisher got hold of login credentials, locked the company out of its own system, and scrambled the data. The hacker demanded a ransom. It wasn’t paid, but the operator still spent weeks recovering, losing a massive amount of data in the process.
That incident shows just how important both sides of security really are: human and technical. A strong training program could have stopped that login from ever being shared. And if solid backup procedures had been in place like the kind zdSCADA uses. The recovery would have been faster, cheaper, and far less painful.
People Make Mistakes
Human error is one of the biggest cybersecurity risks out there. Even the best systems can’t protect you from a bad click—weak passwords, skipped updates, or falling for a sketchy email can all open the door to trouble.
That’s why strong companies build smart habits: multifactor authentication, clear permission settings, and regular training that makes security second nature. Spotting red flags like a strange URL or an unexpected request for credentials should be automatic.
Solid processes help, too. Sensitive changes need to be double-checked, tested, and approved. And sometimes, the safest move is simply calling to confirm. The goal is to turn your people into your strongest line of defense.
Lock It Down with Tech
Good tools don’t replace good habits, but they sure make them stronger. Encryption is a must for protecting sensitive data, and common protocols like TLS help secure communications. Just look for “https” in your browser. Other tools are built to block injection attacks, where hackers try to crash or corrupt systems using code. Input sanitization keeps that door shut.
Monitoring is the next layer. You can’t respond to what you don’t see. Custom setups can be complex and costly, but third-party options work if they’re properly vetted.
When something does get through, the clock starts ticking. You need a plan ready before the problem hits. Clear recovery steps, a team that knows how to move fast, and clean backups can make all the difference between a hiccup and a full-blown disaster.
The most important technical tool is comprehensive data backups with full off-site redundancy. The integrity of those back-ups should be routinely tested. Most companies also choose to maintain a hot-standby – a duplicate system which is warmed up and ready to go. This level of readiness allows for confidence in the face of whatever threats may come.
How Prepared Do You Feel?
These are just a handful of the fundamental security items relevant to SCADA hosting for oil and gas companies. Those with self-hosted systems should comply with SOC guidelines to ensure effective defenses of their data. A trustworthy and experienced SaaS SCADA hosting company, like zdSCADA, will have robust procedures in place, confirmed by a SOC 2 audit.
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