Security is a top priority when implementing an IIoT platform. With valuable data constantly streaming to the internet from IIoT-enabled devices, it has to be built in from the very start.
The right IIoT system will keep your factory safe from evolving cyber security threats.
When introducing any kind of new software to your business, you’ll need to prove to your IT team that it’s safe to use. Otherwise, the project is likely to be vetoed before it even gets off the ground – leaving you to miss out on the crucial insights and process enhancements that the solution would otherwise have gleaned.
“Criminals are very well-resourced,” says Joseph Da Silva, Chief Information Security Officer at RS Group. “They realise there is an opportunity to make money from holding an organisation to ransom, threatening to either shut down their factory or steal data. But these threats can extend beyond just a single factory being unavailable. If that factory produces, for example, vital foodstuffs or pharmaceuticals, or is a component of a major utility, it can have huge societal ramifications.”
While cyber security within factories may not have been as critical ten years ago (when industrial environments were not typically online), the new age of IIoT means that streaming asset data via the internet is the norm.
Industrial systems are extremely valuable to a business, and so their protection has to be taken seriously. Otherwise, according to Da Silva, “It’s borderline negligence”.
It can’t be assumed that IT teams will take care of this responsibility alone. The emergence of IIoT has elevated the potential concerns to a point where industrial network security has to be recognised as a key risk area by senior management. Today’s organisations must have a clear security strategy in place, which will protect the entirety of their industrial environments from malicious intent.
Industrial facilities need a holistic view of security - from physical, right through to electronic defences.
After all, a ‘connected factory’ means exactly that – the internet provides a path between every asset. That’s why you need to ensure that every individual part of your factory’s infrastructure is managed with a cyber security mindset.
Here’s our 7 tips to ensure your IIoT implementation is as secure as possible.
- Change defaults.
Most IIoT devices - and indeed most IT software - ships with default passwords. Get these changed immediately to something strong and unique, and don’t use the same password for everything. Avoid any equipment with hard-coded passwords; if it’s hardcoded, it’s already known by every hacker out there.
- Separate networks.
Don’t put IIoT devices on your corporate network, or the same network that you use for your OT (operational technology) equipment. A single device should not be able to access multiple networks, either; otherwise, they can be used as a ‘bridge’.
- Disable unnecessary functions.
See that TV you have on the wall of your meeting room? Bet it’s a smart TV and no one’s turned off the Bluetooth functionality… Or the microphone… Or the webserver that it operates. Unnecessary functions can be used as a ‘way in’, both to the device and the wider network that it sits on. Turn things off programmatically, or physically disable them; a pair of pliers or liquid epoxy are simple ways to permanently disable a USB socket, for example.
- Stay up to date.
Software vulnerabilities are very common, but it’s more common for the known fixes to these vulnerabilities to not be applied promptly. Ensure firmware and software are regularly updated and have a process in place to do this.
- Test, test, and test again.
Hire a penetration tester who has specialist expertise with industrial equipment and operational technology (not all of them do). This is a specialist area that requires specialist knowledge of PLCs and SCADA equipment. You’d rather have a specialist test it before a hacker does! Most importantly, follow their recommendations – you may not be able to fix everything, but make risk-based decisions on what you fix, what you mitigate through another route, and what you accept.
- Be clear who’s doing what.
Understand where your data is going, who has access to it, and how it’s being protected. You IIoT platform provider should be able to provide answers to all of these questions without haste.
- Have a plan for security emergencies.
Run some scenarios and regularly test the system via a simulation or dry run. In the event of a security incident, it needs to be very clear who does what and when. This information should be clearly documented and easily accessible, including templated communication.
Fortunately, digital manufacturing improvement services like RS Industria are smarter than ever. We make sure that this software is 100% secure – at all times – so there’s no risk of disruption to your production systems.
“From the very first day, when we came up with the proposition for our end-to-end IIoT platform, we actively considered security at every stage,” confirms Da Silva. “It hasn’t been bolted on as an afterthought.”
RS Industria monitors your critical assets in real time, delivering the insights required to improve reliability, sustainability, and performance. We make sure that your asset data is always unlocked securely, thanks to a trusted defence of…
- Regular penetration testing. Independent experts routinely test our software and hardware, allowing us to make sure that any possible weaknesses are found and fixed before they pose a threat to security.
- Secure cloud hosting. Both the data ingest and user interface of the RS Industria application are subject to multiple security controls. Fully developed using AWS (Amazon Web Services), your data is protected at all stages by a variety of integrated security features such as encryption, access control and network security
- A dedicated cyber security team. Our in-house cyber security experts are available to engage directly with your IT department, making sure any IT security concerns are resolved and that you remain compliant with your specific regulations.
RS Industria is backed by RS Group, a trusted FTSE100 brand and global omni-channel solutions provider.
We have over 80 years’ experience in offering and integrating component supply services and solutions, and are depended on by thousands of industrial customers around the world.
With RS Industria, you can be confident that we’ll reduce the production losses that keep you awake at night – simply, quickly, affordably… and safely.
Ready to learn more?
Read on to ‘Blending Legacy Assets with New Technology’.