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Global Accelerated Learning • Est. 1999
Glossary Term Distributed Control System (DCS)

Training Camp • Cybersecurity Glossary

What is Distributed Control System (DCS)?

A Distributed Control System (DCS) uses distributed controllers for real-time industrial process control, requiring OT-specific security.

Glossary > OT, ICS & IoT Security > Distributed Control System (DCS)

Understanding Distributed Control System (DCS)

A Distributed Control System (DCS) is an industrial control architecture in which controllers are spread across a plant or process rather than centralized, coordinating continuous operations such as refining, power generation, and chemical processing. DCS deployments emphasize high availability and tight, real-time control loops within a facility, distinguishing them from the geographically dispersed monitoring focus of SCADA systems. Securing a DCS requires OT-specific segmentation, since legacy protocols often lack authentication.

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