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).
• Network architecture loopholes.
Readers interested in learning how to mitigate such risk can download the full paper at http://instrumentation.co.za/+T37
For more information contact Lebohang Thokoane, Schneider Electric SA, +27 (0)11 254 6400, [email protected], www.schneider-electric.com
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