A Comparison of Security ICS Communication Protocols

Daniel Clark; Tom Chothia

doi:10.1007/978-3-032-19540-1_22

A Comparison of Security ICS Communication Protocols

Daniel Clark^*
, Tom Chothia

^*Corresponding author for this work

Computer Science

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

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Abstract

This paper presents a summary and comparison of leading secure Industrial Control System (ICS) communication protocols. We find two categories of ICS protocols: those that run an insecure ICS protocol over TLS and those that use a bespoke security protocol. We assess the key properties of bespoke ICS protocols using formal modelling, for OPC-UA and DNP3-SAv5 we use existing models, and we build formal models for S7Comm-Plus and SSP-21; this lets us make a full comparison between these protocols. For ICS protocols based on TLS, we compare the versions and configurations of TLS specified, and any access control add-ons. This leads to a detailed picture of the security provided and best use cases for each protocol.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Critical Information Infrastructures Security
Subtitle of host publication	20th International Conference, CRITIS 2025, Jönköping, Sweden, October 21–23, 2025, Revised Selected Papers
Editors	Erik Bergström, Bernhard Hämmerli, Agnieszka Kitkowska, Joakim Kävrestad
Publisher	Springer
Pages	424-444
Number of pages	21
Edition	1st
ISBN (Electronic)	9783032195401
ISBN (Print)	9783032195395
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-19540-1_22
Publication status	Published - 24 Apr 2026
Event	20th International Conference on Critical Information Infrastructures Security - Jönköping School of Engineering, Jönköping, Sweden Duration: 21 Oct 2025 → 23 Oct 2025

Publication series

Name	Lecture Notes in Computer Science
Publisher	Springer
Volume	16291
ISSN (Print)	0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)	1611-3349

Conference

Conference	20th International Conference on Critical Information Infrastructures Security
Abbreviated title	CRITIS 2025
Country/Territory	Sweden
City	Jönköping
Period	21/10/25 → 23/10/25

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ClarkD2026Comparison_AAMAccepted author manuscript, 290 KBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

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Clark, D., & Chothia, T. (2026). A Comparison of Security ICS Communication Protocols. In E. Bergström, B. Hämmerli, A. Kitkowska, & J. Kävrestad (Eds.), Critical Information Infrastructures Security: 20th International Conference, CRITIS 2025, Jönköping, Sweden, October 21–23, 2025, Revised Selected Papers (1st ed., pp. 424-444). (Lecture Notes in Computer Science; Vol. 16291). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-19540-1_22

Clark, Daniel ; Chothia, Tom. / A Comparison of Security ICS Communication Protocols. Critical Information Infrastructures Security: 20th International Conference, CRITIS 2025, Jönköping, Sweden, October 21–23, 2025, Revised Selected Papers. editor / Erik Bergström ; Bernhard Hämmerli ; Agnieszka Kitkowska ; Joakim Kävrestad. 1st. ed. Springer, 2026. pp. 424-444 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science).

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title = "A Comparison of Security ICS Communication Protocols",

abstract = "This paper presents a summary and comparison of leading secure Industrial Control System (ICS) communication protocols. We find two categories of ICS protocols: those that run an insecure ICS protocol over TLS and those that use a bespoke security protocol. We assess the key properties of bespoke ICS protocols using formal modelling, for OPC-UA and DNP3-SAv5 we use existing models, and we build formal models for S7Comm-Plus and SSP-21; this lets us make a full comparison between these protocols. For ICS protocols based on TLS, we compare the versions and configurations of TLS specified, and any access control add-ons. This leads to a detailed picture of the security provided and best use cases for each protocol.",

author = "Daniel Clark and Tom Chothia",

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Clark, D & Chothia, T 2026, A Comparison of Security ICS Communication Protocols. in E Bergström, B Hämmerli, A Kitkowska & J Kävrestad (eds), Critical Information Infrastructures Security: 20th International Conference, CRITIS 2025, Jönköping, Sweden, October 21–23, 2025, Revised Selected Papers. 1st edn, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 16291, Springer, pp. 424-444, 20th International Conference on Critical Information Infrastructures Security, Jönköping, Sweden, 21/10/25. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-19540-1_22

A Comparison of Security ICS Communication Protocols. / Clark, Daniel ; Chothia, Tom.
Critical Information Infrastructures Security: 20th International Conference, CRITIS 2025, Jönköping, Sweden, October 21–23, 2025, Revised Selected Papers. ed. / Erik Bergström; Bernhard Hämmerli; Agnieszka Kitkowska; Joakim Kävrestad. 1st. ed. Springer, 2026. p. 424-444 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science; Vol. 16291).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

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AU - Chothia, Tom

PY - 2026/4/24

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N2 - This paper presents a summary and comparison of leading secure Industrial Control System (ICS) communication protocols. We find two categories of ICS protocols: those that run an insecure ICS protocol over TLS and those that use a bespoke security protocol. We assess the key properties of bespoke ICS protocols using formal modelling, for OPC-UA and DNP3-SAv5 we use existing models, and we build formal models for S7Comm-Plus and SSP-21; this lets us make a full comparison between these protocols. For ICS protocols based on TLS, we compare the versions and configurations of TLS specified, and any access control add-ons. This leads to a detailed picture of the security provided and best use cases for each protocol.

AB - This paper presents a summary and comparison of leading secure Industrial Control System (ICS) communication protocols. We find two categories of ICS protocols: those that run an insecure ICS protocol over TLS and those that use a bespoke security protocol. We assess the key properties of bespoke ICS protocols using formal modelling, for OPC-UA and DNP3-SAv5 we use existing models, and we build formal models for S7Comm-Plus and SSP-21; this lets us make a full comparison between these protocols. For ICS protocols based on TLS, we compare the versions and configurations of TLS specified, and any access control add-ons. This leads to a detailed picture of the security provided and best use cases for each protocol.

U2 - 10.1007/978-3-032-19540-1_22

DO - 10.1007/978-3-032-19540-1_22

M3 - Conference contribution

SN - 9783032195395

T3 - Lecture Notes in Computer Science

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BT - Critical Information Infrastructures Security

A2 - Bergström, Erik

A2 - Hämmerli, Bernhard

A2 - Kitkowska, Agnieszka

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Y2 - 21 October 2025 through 23 October 2025

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Clark D , Chothia T. A Comparison of Security ICS Communication Protocols. In Bergström E, Hämmerli B, Kitkowska A, Kävrestad J, editors, Critical Information Infrastructures Security: 20th International Conference, CRITIS 2025, Jönköping, Sweden, October 21–23, 2025, Revised Selected Papers. 1st ed. Springer. 2026. p. 424-444. (Lecture Notes in Computer Science). Epub 2026 Apr 1. doi: 10.1007/978-3-032-19540-1_22

A Comparison of Security ICS Communication Protocols

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