Simatic Process Control System (PCS)

Simatic Process Control System 7 (PCS7) is the process management system constructed according to the concept of Siemens "completely integrated automation".

This system is suitable for automation of difficult technology processes in the different fields of the industry. Is based on use of the standard products Simatic S7. The offered complex program and hardware allows to solve standard problems of automatic control.

Simatic PCS 7 is the universal platform for solving of tasks of complex automation of the enterprises of the different industries of industrial production. With its help economic, large-scale integration of management systems for all processes into a single system of enterprise management can be provided.

Concept

Simatic PCS 7 is the homogeneous, functionally complete integrated system. She guarantees accomplishment of all standard requirements to management systems at all stages of its existence: from design before practical operation:

• Simple and safe process management.
• Convenience of operational management and visualization.
• Fast and homogeneous design.
• Flexible use of networks of field level.
• Possibility of use of flexible package management.
• Openness, possibility of use of the equipment of other producers.
• Direct inclusion in the ERP environment (Enterprise Resource Planning is the planning level of resources of the enterprise).

Components

• Programmable Simatic S7-400 controllers above.
• The systems of the distributed Simatic DP input-output constructed on the basis of ET 200M/S/iSP/pro stations.
• The industrial software — the system of development in the STEP 7 language, the including CFC, SFC, SCL and Simatic Manager.
• Systems of the human-computer interface Simatic HMI:
  • workstations and servers on the basis of WinCC,
  • web clients on the basis of Internet Explorer.

• Industrial networks Simatic NET: Industrial Ethernet and PROFIBUS.
• Simatic BATCH packet for prescription processes.
• Communication with the systems of the top level and factory management (Simatic IT, SAP R/3, etc.).

Functionality

• Uniform strategy of configuring of all technical means.
• Uniform concepts of navigation and service of abnormal messages.
• Protection of access / management with restriction of the list of the transactions permited different categories of service staff.
• Single system of monitoring and diagnostics.
• Synchronization on time.
• Integration of the systems of antiabnormal automatic equipment.
• Full redundancy of all components: from devices of field level to operator interface level.
• An exhaustive set of libraries with functional units, screen forms and characters, ready to application.
• Functions of import and export of data of process to system CAD/CAE.
• The software for package management of production processes (SIMATIC BATCH, there corresponds ISAS88.01).

The Simatic PCS7 system is based not only on use of a wide range of the industrial software, but also on application of conventional components of Simatic. It allows:

• Make the choice of automation systems of different performance depending on requirements imposed to them.
• Make step-by-step development of the systems of the local and distributed input-output.
• Execute simple expansion of control functions and monitoring, passing from a simple one-seat system to the distributed multi-user systems with architecture the client/server.
• Execute expansion of functionality of workstations due to installation of different optional program and hardware components.

These features allow to scale easily a system, to develop the optimal solutions adapted to requirements of management systems of specific industrial enterprises.^[1]

The openness of PCS 7 extends to all levels of enterprise management. It is provided with existence of standard program interfaces and standard interfaces of communication for the organization of data exchange with application programs and also means of export and import of graphics, texts and data.

2019: One of the industrial controllers which are most protected in the world is cracked

The group of the Israeli experts of area of cyber security showed in the summer of 2019 a possibility of interception of management over the industrial Siemens Simatic S7 controller^[2].

Simatic S7 is used at the enterprises of critical infrastructure: power plants, the water-pressure stations, it is applied on production lines, to regulation of the movement on city streets, in aircraft and so on.

S7 is considered very reliable and well protected device, and a key factor of its protection - the increased quality of enciphering of communications.

However experts of Institute of Technology of Technion in Haifa, the University of Tel Aviv and National cybermanagement of Israel could deliver it under the control completely.

Within the research experts analyzed a program code of the proprietary cryptographic protocol of Siemens, and thanks to it could create the false engineering station, some kind of alternative of the official station Siemens. The controller interpreted the commands received from the counterfeit station as true, respectively, experts could make everything that they wanted with S7.

They managed to include and disconnect far off it, to download on it counterfeit logic of a management system, to change the code of management and the source code of shell program. They also managed to make manipulations it is reserved from the direct operator of the controller.

It should be noted that Siemens never published the source code of the control protocol for S7, but researchers managed to reproduce it using the return engineering - and quite successfully though they also recognized that the task was extremely difficult. "Our success became possible thanks to extensive experience in studying of industrial controllers and their means of protecting, in a combination with deep knowledge of other areas - understanding of systems, skills of the return engineering, the analysis of protocols of communication and cryptography", - the head of research group professor of Technion institute Eli Biham said.

Notes