Most IT firewalls today cannot protect against threats to industrial network traffic, which limits their ability to minimise security risks on the plant floor. The Allen-Bradley Stratix 5950 security appliance from Rockwell Automation incorporates new security technologies to help protect plant-floor systems.
The device uses Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) firewall and FirePower technology to create a security boundary between cell/area zones or to help protect a single machine, line or skid. This supports compliance with IEC 62443. The device also uses deep-packet-inspection (DPI) technology. Developed in collaboration with Cisco, the DPI technology enables inspection of the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) and other industrial protocols.
“Combining ASA firewall, FirePower and DPI technology gives IT professionals the granular visibility and control they need to protect industrial networks,” said Divya Venkataraman, global product manager, Rockwell Automation. “With the Stratix 5950 appliance, users can now configure and enforce policies that help prevent potentially malicious firmware updates and program downloads. This helps enhance the integrity of plant-floor operations.”
An optional subscription licence is available with the Stratix 5950 security appliance. Similar to a PC-based, anti-virus service, subscribers will receive ongoing threat and application-signature updates to help protect against the latest known security threats.
The new appliance includes four 1-gigabit Ethernet ports, and is available with copper-and-fibre or copper-only, small form-factor pluggable (SFP) slot options. The industrially hardened device is IP30-rated and can withstand electrical shocks, surges and noise. It can operate in temperatures ranging from -40 to 60°C.
The Stratix 5950 security appliance is the first Rockwell Automation product offering with DPI technology, which was announced in April 2016 as part of the strategic alliance between Rockwell Automation and Cisco.
Addressing the cooling needs of the modern data centre Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
The rise in hardware density in data centres is gaining speed and is largely driven by the demands of artificial intelligence and machine learning, requiring more powerful servers and specialised hardware.
Read more...South Africa’s next cyber security frontier
IT in Manufacturing
AI-powered agents are rapidly transforming how South African businesses operate, from chatbots managing customer inquiries to automated systems processing financial transactions. While these AI-driven assistants increase efficiency and reduce operational costs, they also present a new, and often underestimated, cybersecurity challenge: identity management.
Read more...The DeepSeek effect: navigating AI’s new frontier
IT in Manufacturing
DeepSeek has emerged as a game-changer in artificial intelligence, offering a robust platform redefining how businesses approach AI integration. This change is especially important since it opens up AI to a wider range of organisations, including small and medium-sized enterprises that could have previously been priced out of the market.
Read more...Automation, is it 2049 already? Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
It would come as no surprise that AI and ML are at the forefront of the increased efficiency movement, and are vital cogs in this sophisticated automated machine. A development that is extremely exciting, is autonomous systems.
Read more...Agentic AI: are we building castles on quicksand?
IT in Manufacturing
Artificial Intelligence is in a strange spot. With the explosion of AI tools and applications, we find ourselves teetering between two inseparable yet intertwined paths – the promise of extraordinary capability and the peril of unmitigated risk.
Read more...There’s a reason the A stands for Advanced in APC Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Today’s mineral processing companies face almost universal challenges, efficiently managing resources and high energy consumption, environmental compliance, barriers to technological adoption and the perpetual shortage of skilled labour. While there’s no miracle intervention, there are undoubtedly solutions that improve the above, and one is Advanced Process Control.
Read more...Digital twins in manufacturing Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Digital twin technology can help create better products, fast. It can transform the work of product development too.
Read more...New generative AI-powered maintenance offering Siemens South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
The Siemens Industrial Copilot is revolutionising industry by enabling customers to leverage generative AI across the entire value chain – from design and planning to engineering, operations and services.
Read more...Building resilience in extreme environments ACTOM Electrical Machines
IT in Manufacturing
Extreme temperatures, corrosive substances and high pressures are just a few of the elements that make up the unforgiving operational environments characteristic of the petrochemical and oil and gas sectors. A proactive and nuanced approach to industrial maintenance is no longer optional for organisations, it is an absolute necessity to avoid disruptions and create the right conditions for success.
printer friendly version