Yokogawa’s cybersecurity solutions
Technews Industry Guide: Industrial Internet of Things & Industry 4.0, IT in Manufacturing
Cybersecurity is a hot topic in the industrial automation world and includes network and system security. Yokogawa has strengthened its product line to face these challenges by strengthening its cyber strategy on multiple levels from a security standpoint.
Network security has become critically important in recent years, as it is constantly being subjected to new threats, which are continually increasing in number and becoming more sophisticated. Network security should not rely on one method only, but use a defence-in-depth strategy to secure a business in different ways.
Yokogawa cybersecurity for industrial control systems
Yokogawa has developed comprehensive network and system security for its industrial process control systems, which address common and known internal/external system vulnerabilities. The solutions can be deployed to new projects or to existing facilities and comprise the following network and system cybersecurity components:
Security competence: the research and development centres of Yokogawa are located across the globe to develop security techniques for process control systems. With extensive experience in control system integration, these centres develop security techniques and solutions optimised to each industry, application and system configuration.
Security in products: the product lifecycle ensures that vulnerabilities are reduced due to improved system architecture and application of the latest technologies in process automation systems. External security assessment and certification are continuously done as part of the product development lifecycle.
Growing industry standards: security experts and development teams actively participate in the development of international industrial standards such as ISO, IEC and ISA. In addition, Yokogawa develops its own techniques and solutions for the purpose of security risk management in process automation systems.
Industry best practice: in the implementation of security controls, specific requirements and consideration are required for the process control network. Yokogawa, based on its many years of experience in control systems, has established best practice in the implementation of such security controls. These best practices are compliant with international and industrial security standards.
OT vs. IT
Connecting industrial devices and applications so as to provide plant and enterprise personnel with actionable information is not a new concept. Leading automation and software suppliers have been working diligently to address this requirement for decades. However, these efforts have not always been successful due to poor interoperability between operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT). This has hampered business performance.
At the OT level, a large number and variety of different sensors, intelligent field devices, controllers, systems, mobility devices, application software, networking, and security components related to the IIoT come into play. While these are available in a wide variety of ‘shapes and sizes’, all feature some degree of built-in intelligence, self-diagnosis capabilities, connectivity, and support for analytics.
In order to benefit from the connected world, cybersecurity issues need to be addressed by professionals of both IT and OT. As a proven and trusted partner, Yokogawa delivers Plant Security Lifecycle Services to ensure plant safety and security for mission-critical industrial applications, based on the defence-in-depth approach and corresponding to international standards.
Plant Security Lifecycle Service
Yokogawa’s cybersecurity approach is composed of four phases that start from the assessment of the system through to the validation of the security controls. This approach ensures that the design and implementation cater not only for the industry, but also for each customer’s unique environment.
Assessment and analysis: proposal for the lifecycle security service solutions for both new and existing systems.
Design and implementation: deployment and enhancement of optimal security controls.
Operational support: provision of security training, regular security updates and continuous security monitoring. Support for security incident response and prompt recovery from such incidents.
Conclusion
For more than a decade, Yokogawa has developed and provided proprietary cybersecurity solutions and technology for its customers. During the time, the Yokogawa Industrial Cybersecurity group has gained experience and knowledge through various cybersecurity projects around the globe to become a trusted co-innovation partner for minimising security risks and maximising value creation for customers.
For more information contact Christie Cronje, Yokogawa South Africa, +27 (0)11 831 6300, christie.cronje@za.yokogawa.com, www.yokogawa.com/za
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