PD IEC TR 62351-90-1:2018: Power Systems Management and Associated Information Exchange

Data and Communications Security: Guidelines for Handling Role-Based Access Control in Power Systems

In the rapidly evolving world of power systems management, ensuring the security of data and communications is paramount. The PD IEC TR 62351-90-1:2018 standard provides comprehensive guidelines for handling role-based access control (RBAC) in power systems, a critical component in safeguarding sensitive information and maintaining the integrity of power system operations.

Key Features of the Standard

• Standard Number: PD IEC TR 62351-90-1:2018
• Pages: 40
• Release Date: February 21, 2018
• ISBN: 978 0 580 51144 8
• Status: Standard

Understanding Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

Role-Based Access Control is a method of regulating access to computer or network resources based on the roles of individual users within an organization. In the context of power systems, RBAC is crucial for ensuring that only authorized personnel can access sensitive data and control systems, thereby preventing unauthorized access and potential security breaches.

Why This Standard is Essential

The PD IEC TR 62351-90-1:2018 standard is essential for several reasons:

• Enhanced Security: By implementing RBAC, power systems can significantly enhance their security posture, protecting against unauthorized access and potential cyber threats.
• Compliance: Adhering to this standard helps organizations comply with industry regulations and standards, ensuring that they meet the necessary security requirements.
• Operational Efficiency: With clearly defined roles and access controls, organizations can streamline their operations, reducing the risk of errors and improving overall efficiency.

Comprehensive Guidelines

This standard provides detailed guidelines on how to effectively implement RBAC in power systems. It covers various aspects, including:

• Defining Roles: How to define and assign roles within the organization to ensure that access is granted appropriately.
• Access Control Policies: Developing and implementing policies that govern access to sensitive data and systems.
• Monitoring and Auditing: Establishing procedures for monitoring access and auditing activities to detect and respond to potential security incidents.

Who Should Use This Standard?

This standard is designed for a wide range of stakeholders involved in power systems management, including:

• Security Professionals: Those responsible for implementing and managing security measures within power systems.
• IT Managers: Individuals overseeing the IT infrastructure and ensuring that access controls are properly enforced.
• Compliance Officers: Professionals tasked with ensuring that the organization meets industry standards and regulatory requirements.

Conclusion

The PD IEC TR 62351-90-1:2018 standard is an invaluable resource for any organization involved in power systems management. By providing clear and comprehensive guidelines for handling role-based access control, it helps organizations enhance their security, improve operational efficiency, and ensure compliance with industry standards. Whether you are a security professional, IT manager, or compliance officer, this standard is an essential tool in your arsenal for protecting sensitive data and maintaining the integrity of power systems.

Invest in the security and efficiency of your power systems today by implementing the guidelines set forth in the PD IEC TR 62351-90-1:2018 standard.

PD IEC TR 62351-90-1:2018

This standard PD IEC TR 62351-90-1:2018 Power systems management and associated information exchange. Data and communications security is classified in these ICS categories:

• 33.200 Telecontrol. Telemetering

This part of IEC 62351, which is a technical report, addresses the handling of access control of users and automated agents to data objects in power systems by means of role-based access control (RBAC) as defined in IEC TS 62351-8. IEC TS 62351-8 defines three different profiles to distribute role information and also defines a set of mandatory roles to be supported. Adoption of RBAC has shown that the defined mandatory roles are not always sufficient and it is recommended that the method for defining custom roles be standardized to ensure interoperability. Hence, the main focus of this document lies in developing a standardized method for defining and engineering custom roles, their role-to-right mappings and the corresponding infrastructure support needed to utilize these custom roles in power systems. This is achieved by defining categories and sub level categories, which provide a distinction of actions, connected with dedicated rights as well as a proposal for a format to distribute the custom role-to-right mappings. Moreover, a format is being proposed to distribute the information on custom defined roles and associated rights by utilizing XACML as an established standard for access control.

Besides the discussion of handling custom roles, this document also addresses the following issues:

• Providing recommendations and/or examples for role-right-operation and (object) association to ensure interoperability from operational and developers point of view.

• Providing mechanisms and rules to avoid overloading of existing roles by allowing for an aligned way to define new (custom) roles.

• Easing the administration of roles in IEDs from a device management point of view:

  • Allowing for centralized assignment of roles, by maintaining the same associations on device/application level.

  • Avoiding the definition of role-right-operation on command level to cope with diverse application environment of IEC TS 62351-8 (e.g. IED, substation level, control centre, SCADA).

• Enhancing available constraints for acting in a specific role considering the local environment with respect to operational constraints.