PD CLC IEC/TR 62541-2:2021 OPC Unified Architecture Security Model

In the ever-evolving landscape of industrial automation and control systems, ensuring robust security is paramount. The PD CLC IEC/TR 62541-2:2021 OPC Unified Architecture Security Model is a comprehensive standard that addresses the critical aspects of security within the OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) framework. Released on July 30, 2021, this standard is an essential resource for professionals seeking to implement secure and reliable communication in their industrial systems.

Overview

The OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) is a platform-independent, service-oriented architecture that integrates all the functionality of the individual OPC Classic specifications into one extensible framework. The Security Model outlined in this standard is a crucial component of OPC UA, providing guidelines and best practices to safeguard data integrity, confidentiality, and availability.

Key Features

• Standard Number: PD CLC IEC/TR 62541-2:2021
• Pages: 54
• Released: July 30, 2021
• ISBN: 978 0 539 18632 1
• Status: Standard

Comprehensive Security Framework

The OPC UA Security Model provides a comprehensive framework that addresses various security concerns, including:

• Authentication: Ensures that only authorized users and systems can access the network.
• Authorization: Controls what authenticated users and systems can do within the network.
• Encryption: Protects data in transit from being intercepted and read by unauthorized parties.
• Data Integrity: Ensures that data has not been altered in transit.
• Auditability: Provides a trail of actions and events for accountability and analysis.

Why Choose This Standard?

Implementing the OPC UA Security Model as outlined in the PD CLC IEC/TR 62541-2:2021 standard offers numerous benefits:

• Enhanced Security: By following the guidelines, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of cyber threats and data breaches.
• Interoperability: The standard ensures that different systems and devices can communicate securely and effectively, regardless of the manufacturer.
• Scalability: The security model is designed to be scalable, making it suitable for both small-scale and large-scale industrial systems.
• Future-Proofing: As a part of the OPC UA framework, this standard is designed to evolve with technological advancements, ensuring long-term relevance.

Who Should Use This Standard?

This standard is ideal for a wide range of professionals and organizations, including:

• System Integrators: Those responsible for designing and implementing industrial automation systems.
• IT Security Professionals: Experts tasked with safeguarding industrial networks against cyber threats.
• Manufacturers: Companies producing devices and systems that need to comply with industry security standards.
• Regulatory Bodies: Organizations that set and enforce security standards within the industrial sector.

Conclusion

The PD CLC IEC/TR 62541-2:2021 OPC Unified Architecture Security Model is an indispensable resource for anyone involved in the design, implementation, or management of secure industrial systems. By adhering to this standard, organizations can ensure that their systems are not only compliant with industry best practices but also resilient against the ever-growing landscape of cyber threats.

With 54 pages of detailed guidelines and recommendations, this standard is a comprehensive tool for enhancing the security posture of any OPC UA-based system. Whether you are a system integrator, IT security professional, manufacturer, or regulatory body, this standard provides the insights and guidance needed to achieve robust security in your industrial operations.

PD CLC IEC/TR 62541-2:2021

• 35.100.01 Open systems interconnection in general
• 25.040.40 Industrial process measurement and control

This part of IEC 62541 describes the OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) security model. It describes the security threats of the physical, hardware, and software environments in which OPC UA is expected to run. It describes how OPC UA relies upon other standards for security. It provides definition of common security terms that are used in this and other parts of the OPC UA specification. It gives an overview of the security features that are specified in other parts of the OPC UA specification. It references services, mappings, and Profiles that are specified normatively in other parts of the OPC UA Specification. It provides suggestions or best practice guidelines on implementing security. Any seeming ambiguity between this part and one of the other normative parts does not remove or reduce the requirement specified in the other normative part.

It is important to understand that there are many different aspects of security that have to be addressed when developing applications. However, since OPC UA specifies a communication protocol, the focus is on securing the data exchanged between applications. This does not mean that an application developer can ignore the other aspects of security like protecting persistent data against tampering. It is important that the developers look into all aspects of security and decide how they can be addressed in the application.

This part is directed to readers who will develop OPC UA Client or Server applications or implement the OPC UA services layer. It is also for end Users that wish to understand the various security features and functionality provided by OPC UA. It also offers some suggestions that can be applied when deploying systems. These suggestions are generic in nature since the details would depend on the actual implementation of the OPC UA Applications and the choices made for the site security.