computer science

IEC 62351

IEC 62351 is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand IEC 62351 rather than just read about it. In short: IEC 62351 is a standard developed by WG15 of IEC TC57. This is developed for handling the security of TC 57 series of protocols including IEC 60870-5 series, IEC 60870-6 series, IEC 61850 series, IEC 61970 series & IEC 61968 series.

Key takeaways

IEC 62351 belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect IEC 62351 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of IEC 62351 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

IEC 62351 is a standard developed by WG15 of IEC TC57. This is developed for handling the security of TC 57 series of protocols including IEC 60870-5 series, IEC 60870-6 series, IEC 61850 series, IEC 61970 series & IEC 61968 series. The different security objectives include authentication of data transfer through digital signatures, ensuring only authenticated access, prevention of eavesdropping, prevention of playback and spoofing, and intrusion detection.

Standard details IEC 62351-1 — Introduction to the standard IEC 62351-2 — Glossary of terms IEC 62351-3 Ed. 2 — Security for any profiles including TCP/IP. Current edition was published 06/2023, replacing edition 1.2. TLS Encryption Node Authentication by means of X.509 certificates Message Authentication IEC 62351-4 — Security for any profiles including MMS (e.g., ICCP-based IEC 60870-6, IEC 61850, etc.). Authentication for MMS TLS (RFC 2246)is inserted between RFC 1006 & RFC 793 to provide transport layer security IEC 62351-5 — Security for any profiles including IEC 60870-5 (e.g., DNP3 derivative) TLS for TCP/IP profiles and encryption for serial profiles. IEC 62351-6 — Security for IEC 61850 profiles. VLAN use is made as mandatory for GOOSE RFC 2030 to be used for SNTP IEC 62351-7 — Security through network and system management. Defines Management Information Base (MIBs) that are specific for the power industry, to handle network and system management through SNMP based methods. IEC 62351-8 — Role-based access control. Covers the access control of users and automated agents to data objects in power systems by means of role-based access control (RBAC). IEC 62351-9 — Key Management Describes the correct and safe usage of safety-critical parameters, e.g. passwords, encryption keys. Covers the whole life cycle of cryptographic information (enrollment, creation, distribution, installation, usage, storage and removal). Methods for algorithms using asymmetric cryptography Handling of digital certificates (public / private key) Setup of the PKI environment with X.509 certificates Certificate enrollment by means of SCEP / EST, while allowing the use of other enrollment protocols Certificate revocation by means of CRL / OCSP A secure distribution mechanism based on GDOI and the IKEv1 protocol is presented for the usage of symmetric keys, e.g. session keys. IEC 62351-10 — Security Architecture Explanation of security architectures for the entire IT infrastructure Identifying critical points of the communication architecture, e.g. substation control center, substation automation Appropriate mechanisms security requirements, e.g. data encryption, user authentication Applicability of well-proven standards from the IT domain, e.g. VPN tunnel, secure FTP, HTTPS IEC 62351-11 — Security for XML Files Embedding of the original XML content into an XML container Date of issue and access control for XML data X.509 signature for authenticity of XML data Optional data encryption

See also IEC TC 57 List of IEC technical committees

External links Application of the IEC 62351 at IPCOMM GmbH Report about the implementation of IEC 62351-7 "IEC 62351" at International Electrotechnical Commission

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with IEC 62351

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what IEC 62351 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to IEC 62351 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about IEC 62351 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of IEC 62351

In research: IEC 62351 appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses IEC 62351 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: IEC 62351 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Computer network security, Electric power, IEC standards, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for IEC 62351 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study IEC 62351 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what IEC 62351 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain IEC 62351 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is IEC 62351 in simple terms?

Why does IEC 62351 matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study IEC 62351?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on IEC 62351.