What critical limitation exists in the original Modbus specification concerning data security?
Answer
It has no inherent security features, transmitting data in clear text.
A significant drawback of the original Modbus specification, especially when traversing modern IP-based networks, is the complete lack of built-in security features. Data payloads, including commands and status readings, are transmitted in clear text. This exposes the system to risks such as eavesdropping or unauthorized manipulation of control commands. While users often mitigate this by isolating Modbus traffic on secure networks, security management must be implemented externally to the protocol layer itself to manage these inherent vulnerabilities.
Related Questions
What company conceived the Modbus protocol, which was introduced in 1979?What specific error checking mechanism does Modbus RTU employ for transmission integrity?How does Modbus ASCII encode data for transmission over serial lines?What is the access characteristic for Modbus 'Coils' register type?What fundamental element did Modbus TCP/IP eliminate the need for regarding error checking in serial communication?Why is Modbus ASCII transmission inherently less efficient than Modbus RTU?What is the definition and access type for 'Input Registers' in the Modbus data structure?What attribute of Modbus is considered the single biggest factor explaining its continued relevance despite its age?What critical limitation exists in the original Modbus specification concerning data security?What synchronization mechanism does Modbus RTU rely upon for message boundary definition?What is the purpose of consulting a 'device profile document' in modern Modbus deployments?