This paper presents a novel method for real-time malfunction detection of plasma etching process using EPD signal traces. First, many reference EPD signal traces are collected using monochromator and data acquisition system in normal etching processes. Critical points are defined by applying differentiation and zero-crossing method to the collected reference signal traces. Critical parameters such as intensity, slope, time, peak, overshoot, etc., determined by critical points, and frame attributes transformed signal-to symbol of reference signal traces are saved. Also, UCL(Upper Control Limit) and LCL(Lower Control Limit) are obtained by mean and standard deviation of critical parameters. Then, test EPD signal traces are collected in the actual processes, and frame attributes and critical parameters are obtained using the above mentioned method. Process malfunctions are detected in real-time by applying SPC(Statistical Process Control) method to critical parameters. the Real-time malfunction detection method presented in this paper was applied to actual processes and the results indicated that it was proved to be able to supplement disadvantages of existing quality control check inspecting or testing random-selected devices and detect process malfunctions correctly in real-time.