RTU Security Application Note

The Brodersen RTU security solution for our RTU32M and RTU32N range is a game-changer for customers leading their businesses into the future

In this Application Note we provide an overview of security features and describe how we have adapted our products to continuously evolving security standards to assure your security posture

Spoiler-alerts from this Application Note: 

  • Learn the importance of why security can no longer be an after-thought
     
  • Learn how our security approach optimally helps you with a diversity of flexible tools 
     
  • Understand our range of security features and how they can co-exist with your requirements

Content of our Application Note includes:

  • Management of User Access and User Authentication
     
  • Firewall Implementation
     
  • Management of System Services
     
  • Encryption of Sensitive Data
     
  • Secure Network Connections and Protocols

Share it with your freinds

Overview - RTU protocols and driver setup
Your RTU application may simply be an 'end point' and only need to interface with a SCADA host or other master device - or it may need to 'sing and dance'...
1- Select what you need
The RTU Configuration Tool allows selection of protocols and hardware.
2 - Create a project in WorkSuite
Then define IO points, create some logic and additional variables eg. this waste water pump station controller accumulates pump statistics and computes derived flow totals from change in wet well volume.
3 - Setup DNP3 slave for this example
Use the Fieldbus Configurator to add the DNP3 slave protocol, create a channel (how to communicate), create a 'session' (who to communicate with), then set application layer parameters (messaging rules).
4 - 'Variables of interest'
Variables (data points in the RTU database) can be 'exposed' to one or more protocols, by referencing them in either the fieldbus editor (simple protocols like Modbus), or including them in a 'profile' (advanced protocols like IEC61850 and DNP3). For DNP3 slave, the variables of interest are dragged in to the DNP3S profile, where they can be associated to object types, given a point address, event class, reporting limits etc.
5 - Prove it works
Connect the RTU to the SCADA host and prove the data values are transferred correctly. If you need to troubleshoot the message contents - use the RTU web interface utility to capture network data packets for viewing in Wireshark to quickly resolve issues.
6 - Make it smarter!
The WorkSuite logic tools allow you to interact with the RTU communications tasks, to enhance the monitoring and control of your data transfer processes. This example DNP3 slave RTU is monitoring the unread events buffers and is able to manipulate point object properties (event class, reporting thresholds etc) and network interface properties (IP address of the host and peer slaves that it may be communicating with).
Conclusion - enjoy having a 'future proof' RTU...
Your RTU requirements will evolve over time, so when you need more I/O, comm ports, protocols or RTU functionality - know it can be easily implemented in a Brodersen RTU.
Previous slide
Next slide