diff --git a/.github/workflows/conda_env/environment_linux.yml b/.github/workflows/conda_env/environment_linux.yml
index 01251956..fdd11175 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/conda_env/environment_linux.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/conda_env/environment_linux.yml
@@ -6,6 +6,6 @@ dependencies:
 - pytest-timeout
 - psutil
 - mpi4py
-- dask=2022.01.0
+- dask=2022.04.0
 - dakota
 - coverage<=6.2
diff --git a/.github/workflows/conda_env/environment_macos.yml b/.github/workflows/conda_env/environment_macos.yml
index 998ad716..0ae296d3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/conda_env/environment_macos.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/conda_env/environment_macos.yml
@@ -5,5 +5,5 @@ dependencies:
 - pytest-cov
 - pytest-timeout
 - psutil
-- dask=2022.01.0
+- dask=2022.04.0
 - coverage<=6.2
diff --git a/.github/workflows/conda_env/environment_static_analysis.yml b/.github/workflows/conda_env/environment_static_analysis.yml
index 3e3fdc4a..d0ddba41 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/conda_env/environment_static_analysis.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/conda_env/environment_static_analysis.yml
@@ -7,5 +7,5 @@ dependencies:
 - pylint=2.11.1
 - bandit=1.7.2
 - codespell=2.1.0
-- dask=2021.01.0
+- dask=2022.04.0
 - pytest
diff --git a/doc/user_guides/advanced_guide.rst b/doc/user_guides/advanced_guide.rst
index 2772aa14..bc42e7c0 100644
--- a/doc/user_guides/advanced_guide.rst
+++ b/doc/user_guides/advanced_guide.rst
@@ -216,6 +216,17 @@ This section contains some useful tips on testing, debugging and documenting you
   * Document the component code such that another person can understand how it works.  It helps if the structure remains the same as the example component.
   * Write a description of what the component does, the inputs it uses, outputs it produces, and what scenarios and modes it can be used in in the component documentation section.
 
+* Protected attributes:
+
+  * The following Component attributes are used internally within IPS and are protected so you can not assigned to them:
+
+    * ``component_id``
+    * ``services``
+    * ``config``
+    * ``start_time``
+    * ``method_name``
+    * ``args``
+
 
 -----------------
 Writing Drivers
diff --git a/ipsframework/component.py b/ipsframework/component.py
index b6c90762..3a1cf393 100644
--- a/ipsframework/component.py
+++ b/ipsframework/component.py
@@ -25,14 +25,14 @@ def __init__(self, services, config):
         """
         Set up config values and reference to services.
         """
-        self.component_id = None
-        self.invocation_q = None
-        self.services = weakref.proxy(services)
-        self.config = config
-        self.start_time = 0.0
-        self.sys_exit = None
-        self.method_name = None
-        self.args = None
+        self.__component_id = None
+        self.__invocation_q = None
+        self.__services = weakref.proxy(services)
+        self.__config = config
+        self.__start_time = 0.0
+        self.__sys_exit = None
+        self.__method_name = None
+        self.__args = None
         for i in config.keys():
             try:
                 setattr(self, i, config[i])
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ def __copy__(self):
         cls = self.__class__
         result = cls.__new__(cls)
         for k, v in self.__dict__.items():
-            if k in ["invocation_q", "sys_exit", "services"]:
+            if k in ["_Component__invocation_q", "_Component__sys_exit", "_Component__services"]:
                 setattr(result, k, None)
             else:
                 setattr(result, k, copy(v))
@@ -54,9 +54,9 @@ def __initialize__(self, component_id, invocation_q, start_time=0.0):
         """
         Establish connection to *invocation_q*.
         """
-        self.component_id = component_id
-        self.invocation_q = invocation_q
-        self.start_time = start_time
+        self.__component_id = component_id
+        self.__invocation_q = invocation_q
+        self.__start_time = start_time
 #        setattr(sys, 'exit', sys.exit)
 
     def __my_exit__(self, arg=0):
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ def __run__(self):
 
         tmp = sys.exit
         sys.exit = self.__my_exit__
-        self.sys_exit = tmp
+        self.__sys_exit = tmp
         try:
             redirect = self.services.sim_conf['OUT_REDIRECT']
         except KeyError:
@@ -119,15 +119,15 @@ def __run__(self):
         self.services._init_event_service()
 
         while True:
-            msg = self.invocation_q.get()
+            msg = self.__invocation_q.get()
             self.services.log('Received Message ')
             sender_id = msg.sender_id
             call_id = msg.call_id
-            self.method_name = msg.target_method
-            self.args = msg.args
+            self.__method_name = msg.target_method
+            self.__args = msg.args
             keywords = msg.keywords
             formatted_args = ['%.3f' % (x) if isinstance(x, float)
-                              else str(x) for x in self.args]
+                              else str(x) for x in self.__args]
             if keywords:
                 formatted_args += [" %s=" % k + str(v) for (k, v) in keywords.items()]
 
@@ -149,6 +149,30 @@ def __run__(self):
                                                    Message.SUCCESS, retval)
             self.services.fwk_in_q.put(response_msg)
 
+    @property
+    def component_id(self):
+        return self.__component_id
+
+    @property
+    def services(self):
+        return self.__services
+
+    @property
+    def config(self):
+        return self.__config
+
+    @property
+    def start_time(self):
+        return self.__start_time
+
+    @property
+    def method_name(self):
+        return self.__method_name
+
+    @property
+    def args(self):
+        return self.__args
+
     def init(self, timestamp=0.0, **keywords):
         """
         Produce some default debugging information before the rest of the code
@@ -191,7 +215,7 @@ def terminate(self, status):
         self.services.cleanup()
         if status == Message.SUCCESS:
             self.services.debug('Calling self.sys_exit(0)')
-            self.sys_exit(0)
+            self.__sys_exit(0)
         else:
             self.services.debug('Calling self.sys_exit(1)')
-            self.sys_exit(1)
+            self.__sys_exit(1)
diff --git a/ipsframework/portalBridge.py b/ipsframework/portalBridge.py
index 15ed3a34..d3ddae8d 100644
--- a/ipsframework/portalBridge.py
+++ b/ipsframework/portalBridge.py
@@ -84,7 +84,6 @@ def __init__(self, services, config):
         self.host = ''
         self.curTime = time.localtime()
         self.startTime = self.curTime
-        self.services = services
         self.sim_map = {}
         self.portal_url = None
         self.done = False
diff --git a/tests/components/workers/bad_workers.py b/tests/components/workers/bad_workers.py
index 185ae84b..e4d37af7 100644
--- a/tests/components/workers/bad_workers.py
+++ b/tests/components/workers/bad_workers.py
@@ -35,3 +35,8 @@ def step(self, timestamp=0.0, **keywords):
 class exception_worker(Component):
     def step(self, timestamp=0.0, **keywords):
         raise RuntimeError('Runtime error')
+
+
+class assign_protected_attribute(Component):
+    def step(self, timestamp=0.0, **keywords):
+        self.args = 0
diff --git a/tests/new/test_bad_components.py b/tests/new/test_bad_components.py
index 0a4bb87e..8aaa13e5 100644
--- a/tests/new/test_bad_components.py
+++ b/tests/new/test_bad_components.py
@@ -164,3 +164,31 @@ def test_bad_task_pool2(tmpdir):
 
     assert "WORKER__bad_task_pool_worker2_2 ERROR    Uncaught Exception in component method.\n" in lines
     assert "DRIVER__driver_1 ERROR    Uncaught Exception in component method.\n" in lines
+
+
+def test_assign_protected_attribute(tmpdir):
+    platform_file, config_file = write_basic_config_and_platform_files(tmpdir, worker='assign_protected_attribute')
+
+    framework = Framework(config_file_list=[str(config_file)],
+                          log_file_name=str(tmpdir.join('ips.log')),
+                          platform_file_name=str(platform_file),
+                          debug=None,
+                          verbose_debug=None,
+                          cmd_nodes=0,
+                          cmd_ppn=0)
+
+    framework.run()
+
+    # check output log file
+    with open(str(tmpdir.join('sim.log')), 'r') as f:
+        lines = f.readlines()
+
+    # python 3.10 includes the attribute name in the error message
+    assert "AttributeError: can't set attribute\n" in lines or "AttributeError: can't set attribute 'args'\n" in lines
+    assert "Exception: can't set attribute\n" in lines or "Exception: can't set attribute 'args'\n" in lines
+
+    # remove timestamp
+    lines = [line[24:] for line in lines]
+
+    assert "WORKER__assign_protected_attribute_2 ERROR    Uncaught Exception in component method.\n" in lines
+    assert "DRIVER__driver_1 ERROR    Uncaught Exception in component method.\n" in lines