Understanding the impact of using routable protocols outside a NERC critical cyber asset

Since the NERC CIP standards have been in place many utilities have expressed confusion over the impact of using a routable protocol to communicate with field devices from an Energy Control Systems. This confusion centers on the NERC requirements for critical cyber assets employing routable protocols to communicate outside the Electronic Security Perimeter (ESP).

At the heart of the issue is the concern that using a routable protocol, such as DNP/IP to communicate with a device in a substation, that has been determined to be a non-critical asset, would cause the device to be included in the ESP or cause the non-critical asset to become a Critical Asset and therefore subject to all CIP requirements.

KEMA has developed an opinion paper that helps shed some light on this question and add some clarity to the issue.  The paper analyzes the relevant NERC CIP-002-1 requirements and provides a clear understanding of the requirements as they relate to this question.

To receive the full paper, please click here. 

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