Computer Solutions


4 Manufacturing organisations want convergence between office and plant networks but the emergence of the Stuxnet virus has caused organisations to take a fresh look at IT security. Alistair Rae considers the implications for designers of industrial control systems and reviews some of the security technologies currently available.


4 Les entreprises de


production souhaitent faire converger les réseaux de bureaux et d’usines mais l’émergence du virus Stuxnet les a poussées à regarder la sécurité informatique d’un œil neuf. Alistair Rae examine les implications des concepteurs de systèmes de contrôle industriels et revient sur certaines technologies de sécurité actuellement disponibles.


4 Fertigungsorganisationen wünschen sich eine Annäherung zwischen Büro- und Firmen-Netzwerken, aber das Auftauchen des Stuxnet- Virus’ hat dazu geführt, dass die Organisationen eine andere Sicht auf IT-Sicherheit haben. Alistair Rae betrachtet die Folgen für Designer industrieller Steuerungssysteme und prüft die aktuell verfügbaren Sicherheits-Technologien.


Industrial control systems need a new approach to IT security


A


current trend in industrial automation is towards ‘boardroom to sensor’ convergence, enabling manufacturers to benefit from better visibility of plant/machine


processes, improved performance and increased plant availability. At the same time, open Ethernet networks


have developed, with some being capable of using unmodified IT infrastructure to make true convergence achievable. Other changes involving manufacturing


organisations’ networks include the ‘internet of things’ (industrial and commercial devices equipped with Ethernet connectivity) and the wireless Ethernet revolution.


Lack of understanding


As office-based information technology (IT) and industrial control systems converge, the differences in knowledge and outlook of the individuals involved become apparent, often exacerbated by a lack of understanding of the each others’ areas. These differences have sometimes resulted in


Fig. 1. One of the infection methods used by Stuxnet was auto-execution of programs held on USB memory sticks.


62 www.engineerlive.com


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68