Internet Based Secure Monitoring and Control for Utility Companies and Process Plants

Abstract

SwpemsoirJ Control an d Data Acquisition (SCADA) networks are used by m any o f the utility companies that form the critical infrastructure in m any countries to control fie d devices from a central station. In recent years, SCADA networks
have also enjoyed an increase in popularity within process control industries for monitoring an d control. The use o f the
Internet can facilitate the remote monitoring o f the SCADA systems but with the sharp increase in actual an d potential
threats against SCADA has made it dangerous to use the unsecured communication protocols. This paper presents a
secure architecture to access SCADA-controlled devices remotely using the Internet. Using this architecture, SCADA
engineers can get the current process information an d send the control data to a remote plan t through their web browser
securely. This Internet-based approach has been implemented an d tested for remote monitoring an d control o f a
chemical-process test-bed.