A Frost & Sullivan White Paper in partnership with Schneider Electric.
The proliferation of cyber threats has prompted asset owners in industrial environments to search for security solutions that can protect their assets and prevent potentially significant monetary loss and brand erosion.
While some industries have made progress in minimising the risk of cyber attacks, the barriers to improving cybersecurity remain high. More open and collaborative networks have made systems more vulnerable to attack. End user awareness and appreciation of the level of risk is inadequate across most industries outside critical infrastructure environments. The uncertainty in the regulatory landscape also remains a significant restraint. With the increased use of commercial off-the-shelf IT solutions in industrial environments, control system availability is vulnerable to malware targeted at commercial systems. Inadequate expertise in industrial IT networks is a sector-wide challenge.
Against this background, organisations need to collaborate with a solutions provider who understands the unique characteristics of the industrial environment and is committed to security. One such solutions provider, Schneider Electric, helps its customers adopt the multi-layered Defence-in-Depth approach through a holistic, systematic plan to mitigate risk. This includes improved security features on current and upcoming solutions, the use of the Automation Systems Manager (ASM) to monitor, manage and protect assets, and a comprehensive suite of services to support customers. With this expertise, organisations can move from reactive and ad hoc responses, to a proactive, planned and holistic approach to security.
The exponential increase in cyber threat levels
Over the last decade, the rise in cyber attacks on critical infrastructure has resulted in cyber security becoming a central concern amongst industrial automation and control system users and vendors. These strategic attacks are aimed at disrupting industrial activity for monetary, competitive, political or social gain, or even as a result of a personal grievance.
Cyber threats are primarily aimed at industrial control systems such as DCSs, PLCs, scada systems and HMIs, through loopholes that can range from unsecured remote access, to inadequate firewalls, to a lack of network segmentation.
Such threats are not a new phenomenon. However, a spate of high-profile attacks over the last decade has brought this issue to centre stage. While motivations for intentional attacks vary, the key attack vectors for any cyber threat are typically as follows:
• Physical intrusion or a cyber attack.
• People and processes.
• Control systems vulnerabilities (hardware and software).
Project and industry Schneider Electric South Africa
System Integration & Control Systems Design
Transforming crushing plant operations through integrated automation.
Controlgear Instramac was engaged to deliver the electrical control and automation systems for a new crushing plant within the ...
Read more...Overcoming the bottling industry’s fragmented visibility Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing Electrical Power & Protection
Beverage bottling facilities are among manufacturing’s most energy-intensive environments, yet many still operate without granular insight into where that energy goes. Rezolia Muller-Potluri of Schneider Electric explains how tiered metering architecture and advanced
Read more...What you need is a nerve centre for your building Schneider Electric South Africa
SCADA/HMI
Schneider Electric’s Anoop Hariparsad explains how a building management system acts as a single nerve centre, cutting energy use and improving safety and guest experience.
Read more...New chiller line for high-density AI data centres Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Schneider Electric has launched the Uniflair XCA, a new series of air-cooled and free-cooling chillers designed for artificial intelligence-driven, high-density liquid-cooled data centres.
Read more...Turning system integrators into trusted technology partners Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing System Integration & Control Systems Design
Schneider Electric’s Alliance Partner Programme is repositioning system integrators from hardware suppliers into lifecycle-value partners. Oriel Soupen explains the competency framework, certification model and real-world results that are already helping African system integrators win higher-value, longer-term engagements.
Read more...Schneider Electric introduces next-generation BlokSeT switchboard Schneider Electric South Africa
Electrical Power & Protection
Schneider Electric has launched its next-generation BlokSeT low-voltage switchboard in West Africa, offering high reliability, predictive maintenance capability and digital integration for critical infrastructure and industrial applications.
Read more...Why renewable projects need integrated protection and control
IT in Manufacturing
Fragmented secondary plant integration in renewable energy projects causes costly delays during commissioning. ACTOM Protection and Control’s Secondary Plant Integration solution consolidates all secondary systems under a single engineering framework, reducing risk and accelerating grid
Read more...When digital twins move from concept to critical tool
IT in Manufacturing System Integration & Control Systems Design Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
Digital twins are moving out of the lab and onto the mine, the factory floor and the transport network where they predict failures before they happen. Amritesh Anand looks at where they earn their keep, the data and integration work behind them, and the security questions every organisation should ask before switching one on.
Read more...How a digital foundation can overcome the LNG trilemma Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing SCADA/HMI
The LNG sector is racing to add capacity, but without a digital backbone, growth creates complexity rather than capability. Christophe Begat of Schneider Electric explains how connecting data, systems and analytics across the LNG value chain can resolve the trilemma of secure supply, lower emissions and tighter costs.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.
printer friendly version