Random Network Coding for Secure Packet Transmission in SCADA Networks

Industrial control systems were designed as closed systems without any consideration or need for Internet connectivity. This design choice resulted in most SCADA protocol implementations being plain text with little security against attackers. Information on SCADA systems and protocols is readily available in public domain, making them a target for malicious attacks. Network coding is a lightweight technique based on simple XOR operations for error correction that can also help secure the message. This paper proposes use of network coding for protection of message interchanges with the field devices in an industrial network. The results show that the proposed method effectively protects the communications against a malicious adversary.