Application of Cybersecurity Policies and Standards in Indian Power Sector

Cyber security is a critical issue that the distribution system operators, regulators, and industries have recently realized. Attacks on operational technology (OT) can have a severe impact in comparison to information technology (IT). Attack surface in an OT domain increases due to the challenges in patch management, risk assessment, and the knowledge gap among the operators regarding cyber security. IEC 62443 is a standard that aims to fill the specific knowledge gap among OT engineers in cybersecurity. This paper highlights overview of IEC 62351 and proposes mechanisms for the adoption and implementation of IEC 62351 in a uniform, secure, and interoperable manner. This paper discusses the applicability of IEC 62351 for substation and control center communication and touches upon the importance of IEC 62443 for secure development lifecycle requirements in industrial automation and control systems.