June 30, 2017
Report

Secure ICCP Final Report

Abstract

Inter-Control Center Communications Protocol (ICCP), defined by the IEC 60870-6 TASE.2 standard, was developed to enable data exchange over wide area networks between electric system entities, including utility control centers, Independent System Operators (ISOs), Regional Transmission Operators (RTOs) and Independent Power Producers (IPP) also known as Non-Utility Generators (NUG). ICCP is an unprotected protocol, and as a result is vulnerable to such actions as integrity violation, interception or alteration, spoofing, and eavesdropping. Because of these vulnerabilities with unprotected ICCP communication, security enhancements, referred to as Secure ICCP, have been added and are included in the ICCP products that utilities have received since 2003 when the standard was defined. This has resulted in an ICCP product whose communication can be encrypted and authenticated to address these vulnerabilities.

Revised: May 3, 2018 | Published: June 30, 2017

Citation

Rice M.J., C.A. Bonebrake, G.K. Dayley, and L.J. Becker. 2017. Secure ICCP Final Report Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.