PLC & Control

Secure Home PageSAN JOSE, CA--(Marketwire - October 13, 2008) - Secure Computing Corporation (NASDAQ: SCUR), a leading enterprise gateway security company, today announced it is incorporating three new signature file types for SCADA-specific protocols into its industry-leading Secure Firewall (formerly known as Sidewinder) product. SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems are used by energy, water, oil/gas, and chemical companies to control critical network components. Integration of these SCADA signatures is part of Secure Computing's continued focus on protecting critical infrastructure to ensure that control networks are fully protected, and comes in the middle of Secure Computing's Cyber Security Initiative and NCSA's Cyber Security Awareness Month.

Please visit us at http://plc2u.com/index.php/plc-article/scada/scada-specific-security-signatures 

Secure Firewall is the world's strongest security for standard protocols used over typical IT networks, and now protects critical networks from every type of attack, even those targeting SCADA networks. Secure Firewall provides custom security measures that understand and control SCADA-specific protocols.

"Critical infrastructure is under intense scrutiny by regulators and hackers alike. Securing these networks is a national imperative, not an option," said Elan Winkler, director of Critical Infrastructure Solutions for Secure Computing. "Unfortunately, most security devices aren't designed to meet the special needs of control networks. They cannot filter SCADA-specific protocols to prevent attacks against these critical infrastructure networks. Secure Firewall, however, is a perfect combination of the strongest firewall on the market along with the custom protocol security that is a necessity for SCADA networks."

Here are the three new SCADA signature types being provided by Secure Firewall:

• SCADA:ICCP: The Inter-Control Center Communications Protocol (ICCP or IEC 60870-6/TASE.2) is being specified by utility organizations throughout the world to provide data exchange over wide area networks (WANs) between utility control centers, utilities, power pools, regional control centers, and Non-Utility Generators.
• SCADA:MODBUS: Modbus is a serial communications protocol for use with its programmable logic controllers (PLCs). It has become a de facto standard communications protocol in the industry, and is now the most commonly available means of connecting industrial electronic devices.
• SCADA:DNP3.0: DNP3.0 (Distributed Network Protocol) is a set of communications protocols used between components in process automation systems. Its main use is in utilities such as electric and water companies. Specifically, it was developed to facilitate communication between various types of data acquisition and control equipment.

About Secure Firewall

The Secure Firewall appliance is a market-leading, next-generation firewall that delivers total security visibility for high value targets, ensuring the availability and protection of critical applications, networks and data. Global visibility of dynamic threats is the centerpiece of Secure Firewall and one of the key reasons for its superior ability to detect unknown threats along with the known. Secure Firewall delivers best-of-breed security, blocking viruses, worms, Trojans, intrusion attempts, spam and phishing tactics, cross-site scripting, SQL injections, denial of service (DoS), and attacks hiding in encrypted protocols. Secure Firewall kills the evasive blended attacks that other security products can't see. Secure Firewall CommandCenter™ provides simplified central management of any number of Secure Firewalls across multiple enterprises. Secure Firewall Reporter™ provides powerful, easy-to-use security event analysis and reporting. For more information: http://www.securecomputing.com/securefirewall

Seven Steps to Develop Your HMI/SCADA System in LabVIEW

Find out how you can use National Instruments LabVIEW software to connect to existing PLCs as well as new devices using OPC, Modbus, and low-level protocols. Also learn how to add advanced analysis functions by customizing your application.

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Daftar isi artikel yang berhubungan dengan PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) dan HMI (Human Machine Interface) atau MMI (Man Machine Interface) :

SCADA systems are an extremely advantageous way to run and monitor processes. They are great for small applications such as climate control or can be effectively used in large applications such as monitoring and controlling a nuclear power plant or mass transit system. SCADA can come in open and non proprietary protocols. Smaller systems are extremely affordable and can either be purchased as a complete system or can be mixed and matched with specific components. Large systems can also be created with off the shelf components. SCADA system software can also be easily configured for almost any application, removing the need for custom made or intensive software development.

A SCADA system includes a user interface, usually called Human Machine Interface (HMI). The HMI of a SCADA system is where data is processed and presented to be viewed and monitored by a human operator. This interface usually includes controls where the individual can interface with the SCADA system. HMI's are an easy way to standardize the facilitation of monitoring multiple RTU's or PLC's (programmable logic controllers). Usually RTU's or PLC's will run a pre programmed process, but monitoring each of them individually can be difficult, usually because they are spread out over the system. Because RTU's and PLC's historically had no standardized method to display or present data to an operator, the SCADA system communicates with PLC's throughout the system network and processes information that is easily disseminated by the HMI. HMI's can also be linked to a database, which can use data gathered from PLC's or RTU's to provide graphs on trends, logistic info, schematics for a specific sensor or machine or even make troubleshooting guides accessible. In the last decade, practically all SCADA systems include an integrated HMI and PLC device making it extremely easy to run and monitor a SCADA system.

There are many parts of a working SCADA system. A SCADA system usually includes signal hardware (input and output), controllers, networks, user interface (HMI), communications equipment and software. All together, the term SCADA refers to the entire central system. The central system usually monitors data from various sensors that are either in close proximity or off site (sometimes miles away). For the most part, the brains of a SCADA system are performed by the Remote Terminal Units (sometimes referred to as the RTU). The Remote Terminal Units consists of a programmable logic converter. The RTU are usually set to specific requirements, however, most RTU allow human intervention, for instance, in a factory setting, the RTU might control the setting of a conveyer belt, and the speed can be changed or overridden at any time by human intervention. In addition, any changes or errors are usually automatically logged for and/or displayed. Most often, a SCADA system will monitor and make slight changes to function optimally; SCADA systems are considered closed loop systems and run with relatively little human intervention. One of key processes of SCADA is the ability to monitor an entire system in real time. This is facilitated by data acquisitions including meter reading, checking statuses of sensors, etc that are communicated at regular intervals depending on the system. Besides the data being used by the RTU, it is also displayed to a human that is able to interface with the system to override settings or make changes when necessary. SCADA can be seen as a system with many data elements called points. Usually each point is a monitor or sensor. Usually points can be either hard or soft. A hard data point can be an actual monitor; a soft point can be seen as an application or software calculation. Data elements from hard and soft points are usually always recorded and logged to create a time stamp or history

SCADA is an acronym that stands for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition. SCADA refers to a system that collects data from various sensors at a factory, plant or in other remote locations and then sends this data to a central computer which then manages and controls the data. SCADA is a term that is used broadly to portray control and management solutions in a wide range of industries. Some of the industries where SCADA is used are Water Management Systems, Electric Power, Traffic Signals, Mass Transit Systems, Environmental Control Systems, and Manufacturing Systems.