Industrial Ethernet Infrastructure

These days, industrial network security is a top of mind concern for managers in industrial automation organizations. However, there isn’t a simple formula for applying it and many engineers either don’t know where to start or don’t know how to develop practical skills in this area.

Add on the challenge of trying to implement something new, while still getting the day job done ... and all in all it can be overwhelming.

Due to a “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality, our industry has historically resisted, rather than embraced, emerging technology. Thankfully – and not a moment too soon – experts have started to take advantage of the technologies at their disposal in one key area: security.

Improving the cyber security of industrial networks is a challenge you may be facing.

On the one hand your manufacturing processes probably use devices such as PLCs (programmable logic controllers) and DCS (distributed control systems) that were designed with a focus on reliability and safety rather than security. On the other hand your industrial networks are already, or soon will be, connected to your company’s enterprise networks and migrated to Ethernet.

Previously we looked at the question of “Why are PLCs so insecure?” Today we are going to come at SCADA security from another angle, which is “Why is securing Industrial Networks different than securing IT Networks?” We will also look at three ways to address these differences.