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100+ Free Lead SCADA Security Manager Practice Questions

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Which control objective is most distinctive of Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) under IEC 61511?

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: Lead SCADA Security Manager Exam

150

Exam Questions

PECB

70%

Passing Score

PECB

180 min

Time Limit

PECB

$1,100

Exam Fee (USD)

PECB

3 years

Certification Validity

PECB

7

Competency Domains

PECB curriculum

PECB Lead SCADA Security Manager is a management-tier credential for OT cybersecurity leaders responsible for SCADA/ICS programs. The exam contains 150 multiple-choice questions delivered over 3 hours and requires 70% to pass. The exam fee is $1,100 USD with a free retake within 12 months. Content spans 7 competency domains: ICS fundamentals, ICS protocols, standards and regulations (IEC 62443, NIST SP 800-82r3, NERC CIP, NIS 2, TSA), risk assessment with safety integration, architecture and controls (Industrial DMZ, data diodes, ICS firewalls), monitoring and incident response, and supply chain and governance. The credential is valid for 3 years with CPD-based renewal.

Sample Lead SCADA Security Manager Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your Lead SCADA Security Manager exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which priority order best describes how an OT/ICS security manager should evaluate risks compared with a typical IT security manager?
A.Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability — same as IT
B.Safety, Availability, Integrity, Confidentiality — safety and uptime first
C.Confidentiality, Availability, Integrity — privacy-first model
D.Integrity, Confidentiality, Availability — accounting-style model
Explanation: In ICS/SCADA environments the operating priorities are typically ordered Safety first, then Availability and Integrity, with Confidentiality last. NIST SP 800-82 emphasizes that ICS protect physical processes where loss of view or loss of control can endanger people or equipment. A Lead SCADA Security Manager must always frame controls in terms of preserving safe, available, and accurate operations before considering confidentiality.
2A water utility uses geographically distributed pumping stations connected by radio links to a central control room. Which type of industrial control system best describes this architecture?
A.Distributed Control System (DCS)
B.Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) in standalone mode
C.Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)
D.Building Automation System (BAS)
Explanation: SCADA systems are designed for geographically dispersed assets such as water, gas, electric transmission, and oil/gas pipelines, where a central master station polls remote sites over wide-area links. DCS, by contrast, is used for tightly coupled process control inside a single facility such as a refinery or chemical plant. Recognizing the spatial scope is one of the most testable concepts on PECB Lead SCADA Security Manager.
3Which device is most commonly deployed at a remote substation to interface analog and digital field signals with the SCADA master via a WAN link?
A.Human-Machine Interface (HMI)
B.Remote Terminal Unit (RTU)
C.Engineering Workstation
D.Historian server
Explanation: An RTU is purpose-built for remote SCADA sites: it gathers sensor inputs, exercises control outputs, and communicates with the SCADA master using protocols such as DNP3 or IEC 60870-5-104. An HMI is the operator display, an engineering workstation is used for configuration, and a historian stores time-series data — none of which sit at the remote site as the primary field interface.
4Which Purdue Reference Model level typically contains PLCs, RTUs, and IEDs that perform basic process control?
A.Level 0
B.Level 1
C.Level 2
D.Level 3
Explanation: In the Purdue / ISA-95 reference model, Level 0 is the physical process (sensors, actuators, valves, motors), Level 1 is Basic Control where PLCs, RTUs and IEDs reside, Level 2 is Area Supervisory Control (HMIs, SCADA servers), and Level 3 is Site Operations (historians, MES). Distinguishing Levels is core PECB exam content.
5Which of the following is the recognized industrial control system cybersecurity standard family that defines Security Levels SL 1-4 and the zone-and-conduit model?
A.ISO/IEC 27001
B.IEC 61508
C.IEC/ISA 62443
D.NIST SP 800-53
Explanation: IEC 62443 (originally ISA-99) is the dedicated industrial automation and control systems cybersecurity standard. It introduces Security Levels SL 1 through SL 4 and the zone-and-conduit concept for segmenting OT networks. IEC 61508 is functional safety (SIL), ISO/IEC 27001 is generic ISMS, and NIST 800-53 is US federal IT controls.
6Which NIST publication provides the canonical Guide to Operational Technology (OT) Security covering ICS, SCADA, DCS, PLCs, and industrial IoT?
A.NIST SP 800-53
B.NIST SP 800-61
C.NIST SP 800-82 Revision 3
D.NIST SP 800-171
Explanation: NIST SP 800-82 Revision 3 (published 2023) is the official Guide to Operational Technology Security. It aligns with the Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 and provides ICS-specific overlays for the 800-53 control catalog. 800-53 is the general control catalog, 800-61 is incident response, and 800-171 covers CUI in non-federal systems.
7Which port and protocol is most commonly associated with Modbus TCP?
A.TCP/443
B.UDP/161
C.TCP/502
D.TCP/20000
Explanation: Modbus TCP uses TCP port 502. DNP3 uses TCP/UDP 20000, SNMP uses UDP 161, and TLS-style HTTPS uses 443. Modbus has no native authentication, making port 502 traffic a frequent target on enumeration scans of OT networks.
8Which 2010 attack specifically targeted Siemens S7-300 and S7-400 PLCs controlling Iranian uranium enrichment centrifuges?
A.Industroyer
B.Triton
C.Stuxnet
D.BlackEnergy
Explanation: Stuxnet, discovered in 2010, used four zero-day vulnerabilities to spread to Windows engineering workstations and reprogram Siemens S7-300/S7-400 PLCs controlling Natanz centrifuges. Industroyer (2016) and BlackEnergy (2015) targeted Ukraine's electric grid. Triton (2017) targeted Schneider Triconex Safety Instrumented Systems in Saudi Arabia.
9Which 2017 attack specifically targeted a Safety Instrumented System (SIS) at a Saudi petrochemical plant?
A.Triton / Trisis / Hatman
B.Industroyer
C.WannaCry
D.NotPetya
Explanation: Triton (also called Trisis or Hatman) targeted Schneider Triconex SIS controllers, attempting to disable the safety system that would have shut the plant down in an emergency. The attack failed safe, alerting investigators. Industroyer affected grid relays, while WannaCry and NotPetya were broad IT ransomware/wiper outbreaks with collateral OT damage.
10Which regulatory framework applies cybersecurity requirements to the North American bulk electric system?
A.TSA SD02C
B.NERC CIP
C.NIS 2 Directive
D.HIPAA
Explanation: NERC CIP (Critical Infrastructure Protection) is enforceable on Bulk Electric System (BES) entities across North America. TSA SD02C covers pipelines, NIS 2 covers EU critical sectors, and HIPAA covers US healthcare. A SCADA Security Manager working with a utility must understand NERC CIP-002 through CIP-014 obligations.

About the Lead SCADA Security Manager Exam

PECB Certified Lead SCADA Security Manager validates the knowledge and skills required to plan, implement, manage, and continually improve a cybersecurity program for SCADA and other industrial control systems. The exam covers ICS fundamentals (SCADA, DCS, PLC, RTU, IED, HMI, historian, EWS), the Purdue/ISA-95 reference model, ICS protocols (Modbus, DNP3, IEC 60870-5, IEC 61850, OPC UA, EtherNet/IP CIP, S7Comm, PROFINET), IEC 62443 family (zones and conduits, Security Levels SL 1-4, Foundational Requirements FR 1-7), NIST SP 800-82 Revision 3, NERC CIP-002 through CIP-014, TSA pipeline directives, EU NIS 2, risk assessment and cyber-PHA, safety integration with IEC 61508/61511, Industrial DMZ design, monitoring with passive OT sensors, MITRE ATT&CK for ICS, incident response with manual fallback, recovery, supplier requirements (SBOM, IEC 62443-2-4), and program governance.

Questions

150 scored questions

Time Limit

180 minutes

Passing Score

70%

Exam Fee

$1100 USD (PECB)

Lead SCADA Security Manager Exam Content Outline

15%

ICS Fundamentals and Architecture

OT vs IT priorities (Safety, Availability, Integrity, Confidentiality), SCADA/DCS/PLC/RTU/IED/HMI roles, Purdue/ISA-95 reference model, real-time deterministic control, ICS lifecycle constraints

15%

ICS Protocols and Communications

Modbus, DNP3 with Secure Authentication, IEC 60870-5-101/104, IEC 61850 (GOOSE, SV, MMS), OPC UA, EtherNet/IP CIP, PROFINET, S7Comm, IIoT protocols and security weaknesses

20%

Standards and Regulations

IEC 62443 family (zones, conduits, SLs, FRs), NIST SP 800-82 Revision 3, NERC CIP-002 to CIP-014, TSA pipeline directives, EU NIS 2, EPA water guidance, CISA CPGs, NIST CSF 2.0

15%

Risk Assessment and Safety Integration

Consequence-driven risk assessment, cyber-PHA, ISA TR84.00.09, IEC 62443-3-2 methodology, IEC 61508/61511 SIS independence, Cyber-Informed Engineering

15%

Architecture, IAM, and Endpoint Hardening

Industrial DMZ, segmentation, ICS firewalls with DPI, data diodes and unidirectional gateways, jump servers, MFA, PAM, vendor remote access, application allowlisting, removable-media control

10%

Monitoring, Detection, and Incident Response

Passive OT monitoring platforms, protocol-aware IDS, OT SIEM integration, MITRE ATT&CK for ICS, IR with safety-first and manual fallback, PLC program backups, recovery testing

10%

Supply Chain, Vulnerability Management, and Governance

SBOM, IEC 62443-2-4 service-provider requirements, secure procurement, patch coordination, compensating controls, management of change, role-based awareness, KPIs and continual improvement

How to Pass the Lead SCADA Security Manager Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 70%
  • Exam length: 150 questions
  • Time limit: 180 minutes
  • Exam fee: $1100 USD

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Lead SCADA Security Manager Study Tips from Top Performers

1Read NIST SP 800-82 Revision 3 cover-to-cover — it is free and is the canonical US OT cybersecurity guide referenced throughout the PECB curriculum
2Memorize the Purdue Reference Model levels (0 process, 1 basic control, 2 area supervisory, 3 site operations, 3.5 DMZ, 4 enterprise IT, 5 corporate)
3Master the IEC 62443 zone-and-conduit model with Security Levels SL 1-4 — and clearly separate this from IEC 61508 Safety Integrity Levels SIL 1-4
4Learn the major ICS protocols and their security properties: Modbus TCP/502 (no auth), DNP3 SAv5 (challenge-response auth), IEC 61850 GOOSE/SV (multicast, IEC 62351 adds security), OPC UA (modern, built-in security)
5Memorize the canonical incidents — Stuxnet (2010, Siemens PLCs), Industroyer (2016), Triton (2017, Schneider SIS), NotPetya (2017, supply chain spillover), Colonial Pipeline (2021, IT/OT spillover), Industroyer2 (2022), PIPEDREAM (2022)
6Know NERC CIP standard numbers and topics: 002 categorization, 003 management, 004 personnel, 005 ESP, 006 physical, 007 systems, 008 IR reporting, 009 recovery, 010 change/VA, 011 information, 013 supply chain, 014 physical substations

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the PECB Lead SCADA Security Manager exam format?

The exam consists of 150 multiple-choice questions delivered in 3 hours (180 minutes), with a passing score of 70%. It is administered through the PECB Exams platform either online with remote proctoring or in person at PECB-approved test centers. Questions cover SCADA/ICS fundamentals, IEC 62443, NIST SP 800-82r3, NERC CIP, risk assessment, architecture, monitoring, incident response, and program governance.

What does the PECB Lead SCADA Security Manager exam cost?

The exam-only fee is $1,100 USD. PECB partners commonly bundle the exam with a 5-day training course at $3,500-$5,000 total. A free retake is available within 12 months of the first failed attempt; subsequent retakes require the full exam fee.

Are there prerequisites for the Lead SCADA Security Manager exam?

PECB does not enforce strict prerequisites to sit the exam, but full credential issuance requires approximately 5 years of professional experience, including 2 years specifically in cybersecurity, plus project experience equivalent to leading a SCADA/ICS cybersecurity program. Solid foundational knowledge of OT/ICS architectures, IEC 62443, NIST SP 800-82, and applicable regulations (such as NERC CIP for utilities) is strongly recommended.

How is the Lead SCADA Security Manager different from the Lead SCADA Security Professional?

The Lead Manager credential focuses on program governance, risk assessment, policy, organization, integration with safety, and program continual improvement. The Lead Professional credential emphasizes hands-on technical depth in SCADA security engineering, testing, and incident handling. Many OT cybersecurity leaders pursue Manager first and Professional later for technical breadth.

Is the PECB Lead SCADA Security Manager worth it in 2026?

Yes. Regulators across electric (NERC CIP), pipelines (TSA), water (EPA), and the EU (NIS 2) have pushed OT cybersecurity from voluntary to mandatory. Mature organizations need leaders who can translate IEC 62443 and NIST SP 800-82r3 into running programs that integrate safety, operations, and IT. PECB Lead SCADA Security Manager is recognized globally as a management-tier credential for that role.

How does the exam treat IEC 62443 versus NIST SP 800-82?

IEC 62443 and NIST SP 800-82 are complementary. IEC 62443 provides detailed OT-specific requirements (zones, conduits, SL 1-4, FR 1-7, secure development) while NIST SP 800-82 Revision 3 provides US federal guidance and overlays for NIST SP 800-53 control catalog applied to ICS. Expect the exam to test both, including the distinction between IEC 62443 Security Levels and IEC 61508 Safety Integrity Levels.