Functional Security Monitoring in the Power Grid

The communication network is the backbone of modern utility automation system. Many critical functions, such as time synchronization, blocking and interlocking schemes, and even protection functions depend on this network. Therefore, it must work reliably under all circumstances.

StationGuard not only detects cyber threats and prohibited actions in utility automation and SCADA system networks; it also records critical events, such as failures of intelligent electronic devices (IEDs), configuration errors, and network problems, and then logs them for later analysis.

StationGuard and its user interface are tailor-made for protection, automation, and control engineers in utility automation and SCADA systems. No dedicated IT knowledge is necessary for reliable network monitoring. It is designed to save precious time when debugging intermittent network and substation automation system (SAS) issues.

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Functional Issues Detected by StationGuard

StationGuard performs an extensive verification of the network traffic for many different protocols. For example, for GOOSE alone it carries out 35 different checks for detecting IED failures, configuration, and interoperability issues.

It logs all critical events for later analysis, like control commands in switchgear and tap changers. In addition, all file transfers are logged with file names, for example when disturbance records are downloaded.

Learn more about which functional issues can be detected:

IED configuration changes

StationGuard monitors the configuration revision fields from messages in the network 24/7 and detects changes in device configurations.

Configuration errors

StationGuard runs continuous comparisons of the IEC 61850 configuration parameters with the specifications of your prior input or SCL files. Typical misconfigurations like incorrect VLAN configuration, erroneous GOOSE parameters, or wrong datasets are detected.

Network problems

StationGuard measures the transmission time of each GOOSE message. Besides denial-of-service attacks, this reveals failures and time synchronization issues from IEDs, as well as network problems like overload.

Interoperability problems

StationGuard shows warnings for failed control commands in MMS and IEC 60870-5-104 (function available soon also for DNP3). Furthermore, it detects protocol and interoperability issues in MMS, IEC 60870-5-104, DNP3, Modbus, Synchrophasor, and many more.

Benefits of this solution

Combined security and communication monitoring

With its detailed analysis, StationGuard not only protects your network, but it also helps diagnose communication and interoperability problems.

24/7 detection of communication problems

Tricky communication problems always happen when nobody is watching. StationGuard detects issues, tells you what the problem is, and logs it for later analysis.

Immediate failure notification

If problems occur, StationGuard notifies you via various channels, such as binary output contacts, Syslog, SNMP, and our own unmatched graphical visualization. Integrations into many 3rd-party management systems are available.

Verifying configuration and interoperability

StationGuard compares all communication activities with your defined input and/or SCL files for the network system. This lets you reveal configuration and interoperability errors in GOOSE, Sampled Values, and report settings in no time. Failed control commands in MMS and IEC-60870-5-104 are logged.

StationGuard on the MBX1 platform

The mobile MBX1 platform allows you to use StationGuard and its communication monitoring and diagnostic capabilities for multiple utility automation and SCADA systems.

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Cybersecurity and Functional Monitoring for the Power Grid

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Mobile, hardened test set for powerful communication analysis

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StationGuard on virtual machine platform

StationGuard running on a virtual machine platform allows to install our functional monitoring solution on existing substation computing platforms which support virtualization.

Please note that on virtual machines, StationGuard will have some technical limitations in the area of functional monitoring of process bus and precision time protocol (PTP) synchronization, compared to StationGuard on the RBX1 and MBX1 platforms.