Is Modbus a Secure Protocol?
One of the most used industrial automation communication protocols, Modbus, was first created without security in consideration. It is therefore susceptible to contemporary cybersecurity concerns since it lacks essential safeguards like encryption, authentication, and integrity checks. Modbus networks are vulnerable to threats including illegal access, data manipulation, and even denial-of-service (DoS) assaults, which allow hackers to interfere with network operations, if these elements are absent.
Additional security measures must be put in place to safeguard Modbus-based systems. This can include Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) for safe remote connections, firewalls to manage access, and encryption to protect data transmission whenever feasible. The attack surface can also be decreased by network segmentation, which separates Modbus networks from other areas of an organization’s IT architecture.
By incorporating encryption and authentication features, more contemporary protocols like Modbus/TCP Secure (which use TLS for secure connection) help to mitigate some of these problems. Many legacy systems still use the traditional Modbus protocol, and there is still a limited adoption of Modbus/TCP Secure. Modbus networks must therefore take additional security precautions to stay as safe as feasible in the current threat environment.