Cyber security for the OT world made with network switches. Designed to ensure the continuity of industrial production in case of a cyber attack.
Industrial IoT networks are fraught with risks and contain numerous devices that cannot be fully protected. Cybersecurity responsibility cannot be solely entrusted to production operators nor delegated to individual devices. Today, networks are segmented through plant VLANs that create boundaries, within which threats can move freely, leading to dangerous escalations that jeopardize the operational and production continuity of the business.
In manufacturing, there is often a tendency to view safety as secondary to productivity. This mindset can lead employees to overlook cybersecurity policies, perceiving them as obstacles to their work. Meanwhile, devices and machines remain vulnerable to threats, misconfigurations, and obsolescence. These issues can result in:
- Production interruptions
- Compromise of operators’ physical safety
- Tampering
Stoorm5’s Edge SDN solution
Inside the factory LAN there are switches that create the network interconnections. Edge SDN is a platform that controls the telecommunications network, creating security within the switches, isolating devices to be protected, micro-segmenting communications and controlling traffic in order to identify risks or dangers of the factory network.
The protection achieved is therefore independent of the operator’s actions and the vulnerabilities of the devices, ensuring operational continuity in accordance with the international industrial cybersecurity standard ISA/IEC 62443.
A different approach to OT security
The international legislation on the cyber security of industrial networks reminds us that it is wrong and inefficient to protect an OT network as if it were an IT network.
OT (Operation Technology) includes all those hardware and software devices that are used for the management and monitoring of production process systems, such as PLC, CNC, sensors, actuators, SCADA, but also CCTV, energy meters, access gates , etc..
A network made up of tools of this type is called a network made up mainly of objects over which you do not have full control with only one priority: it must never block.
For this reason, the IT Cybersecurity approach, which consists of detecting and quarantining threats within the perimeter, is not applicable to OT networks, because it would cause a block in the production chain.
To protect an industrial network it is necessary to isolate the hosts to be protected, micro-segment communications and analyze traffic to identify suspicious behavior.
These strategies are intended to allow only authorized network traffic, which is necessary for production. All other communications are blocked, effectively preventing any type of lateral movement in the event of an asset being compromised.
Competitive advantage
It guarantees continuity in all operating conditions, without relying on automatic quarantine functions during a cyber attack which in production environments are difficult if not impossible to implement without compromising business continuity. Improves the security of the telecommunications network, cleaning the traffic from unnecessary communications by highlighting which and how many devices are communicating. Integrates seamlessly with other IT/OT security services to ensure uninterrupted business continuity. Complies with IEC 62443, NIS 2 and NIST 800-82 standards.
Who is it aimed at?
Manufacturing or production and services companies where business continuity is important. OEMs looking to add cybersecurity to their products in compliance with the new machinery legislation.