<!-- Copyright (c) 2026 defconxt. All rights reserved. -->
<!-- Licensed under AGPL-3.0 — see LICENSE file for details. -->
<!-- NERF is a trademark of defconxt. -->
---
name: analyzing-industrial-control-protocols
description: >-
  Reverse engineer ICS/SCADA protocols including Modbus, DNP3, and proprietary industrial communication protocols.
domain: cybersecurity
subdomain: reverse-engineering
tags:
  - ics
  - scada
  - modbus
  - dnp3
  - industrial-protocols
version: "1.0"
author: defconxt
license: AGPL-3.0
metadata:
  mitre-attack: ["T0846"]
  cwe: ["CWE-693"]
  tools: ["wireshark", "scapy", "modscan", "ghidra"]
---

# Analyzing Industrial Control Protocols

## Overview

Reverse engineer ICS/SCADA protocols including Modbus, DNP3, and proprietary industrial communication protocols.

## Prerequisites

| Tool / Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| `wireshark` | Security tooling |
| `scapy` | Security tooling |
| `modscan` | Security tooling |
| `ghidra` | Security tooling |
| Isolated lab environment for testing | Environment requirement |
| Authorization and signed Rules of Engagement (RoE) | Environment requirement |
| Relevant target samples or systems acquired through authorized channels | Environment requirement |

## Quick Reference

```bash
# Initialize working environment
mkdir -p /tmp/analyzing-industrial-control-protocols/{output,logs,artifacts}

# Execute primary analysis with wireshark
echo "[*] Running Analyzing Industrial Control Protocols with wireshark..."

# Validate results with scapy
echo "[*] Cross-validating with scapy..."

# Generate summary report
cat /tmp/analyzing-industrial-control-protocols/output/report.json
```

## Workflow

### Step 1: Preparation and Reconnaissance

```bash
# Identify target and gather initial intelligence
file ./target_sample
wireshark --version 2>/dev/null || echo "Install wireshark"

# Set up working directory
mkdir -p /tmp/analyzing-industrial-control-protocols/{output,logs,artifacts}
```

### Step 2: Primary Analysis

```bash
# Execute primary analysis with wireshark
# Refer to Quick Reference above for detailed commands
echo "[*] Running Analyzing Industrial Control Protocols with wireshark..."

# Log all operations
script -q /tmp/analyzing-industrial-control-protocols/logs/session.log
```

### Step 3: Deep Investigation

```bash
# Apply scapy for secondary analysis
echo "[*] Deep investigation with scapy..."

# Cross-reference findings
diff /tmp/analyzing-industrial-control-protocols/output/primary.json /tmp/analyzing-industrial-control-protocols/output/secondary.json
```

### Step 4: Documentation and Reporting

```bash
# Generate structured findings report
cat <<'EOF' > /tmp/analyzing-industrial-control-protocols/output/report.json
{
  "technique": "analyzing-industrial-control-protocols",
  "domain": "reverse-engineering",
  "tools_used": ["wireshark", "scapy"],
  "findings": [],
  "recommendations": []
}
EOF
```

## Detection

```yaml
title: Industrial Control Protocols Detection
id: 894129bf-9cb9-46bb-8cf5-65cfa8b1ecf2
status: experimental
description: Detects suspicious activity related to analyzing industrial control protocols techniques in reverse engineering context
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection:
    CommandLine: "*analyzing*industrial*"
  condition: selection
level: medium
tags:
  - attack.t0846
  - attack.defense_evasion
falsepositives:
  - Malware analysis sandbox performing automated binary inspection
```


**Detection Opportunities**

| Indicator | Source | Detection Logic |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial Control Protocols Detection | windows/process_creation | Sigma rule (medium) |
| ATT&CK Coverage | MITRE ATT&CK | T0846 |

## Verification

- [ ] Environment and tools verified and operational
- [ ] Target samples acquired through authorized channels
- [ ] Primary analysis completed with findings documented
- [ ] Secondary validation performed with independent tooling
- [ ] All artifacts preserved in structured output directory
- [ ] Detection opportunities documented for blue team

## References

- [MITRE ATT&CK T0846](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T0846) — Related technique
- [wireshark Documentation](https://wireshark.org/) — Primary tooling
- [scapy Reference](https://scapy.org/) — Secondary tooling
