# industrial control system (ICS)

Operations · `industrial control system (ICS)` · verification: source checked

An industrial control system (ICS) is an information system used to control industrial processes such as manufacturing, product handling, production, and distribution. It includes supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, distributed control systems (DCS), and smaller control systems using programmable logic controllers (PLC). An ICS combines control components such as electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic components that act together to achieve an industrial objective such as manufacturing or transportation of matter or energy.

## Specification

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Kind | system |
| Origin | NIST |

## Study notes

- NIST sources listed for ICS include SP 800-30 Rev. 1, SP 800-39, SP 800-37 Rev. 2, SP 800-82r3, SP 800-53 Rev. 5, SP 1800-10B, and NISTIR 8074 Vol. 2.
- SCADA systems control geographically dispersed assets.
- DCS and PLC-based systems can control localized processes.
- Control components can be electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, or pneumatic.
- Industrial objectives include manufacturing, product handling, production, distribution, and transportation of matter or energy.
- SCADA = supervisory control and data acquisition; DCS = distributed control system; PLC = programmable logic controller.

## Sources

1. [industrial control system (ICS) - Glossary | CSRC](https://csrc.nist.gov/glossary/term/industrial_control_system) (accessed 2026-10-25)

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